by Joe Walker

jwalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

A toddler was airlifted to a London hospital after she was
run over by a car on Tuesday evening.

The one-year-old girl was knocked unconscious during the
terrifying collision in Grand Drive at 5.30pm.

A helicopter was scrambled and doctors spent 45 minutes treating
the tot at the scene before flying her to the Royal London Hospital
for brain scans.

The girl - who was with her mum - is believed to have
followed a dog into the road.

The driver of the car passed a breathalyser test and police at
the scene indicated he wasn't to blame for the accident.

But special crash investigators were still called in to inspect
the scene and skid marks on the road, which was shut for four
hours.

The girl - two months off her second birthday - was stable
in intensive care at the time the Gazette went to press, but
understood to be well enough to be moved to a general ward.

Mum-of-one and hospital worker Theresa Lockwood watched the
drama unfold with her son Jack.

The 46-year-old said: "At one point there were four police cars,
two ambulances, the helicopter and a paramedic car.

"I knew when I saw the air ambulance land that something serious
must have happened because they don't just call it out for
anything.

"They were treating the little girl for a good 45 minutes as
well.

"It was horrible to hear a baby had been knocked over. I feel
sorry for her parents and the driver. A toddler against a car
doesn't stand a chance."

Richard Farbrace, who lives just yards from the scene, was
eating his tea at the time of the accident.

He said: "My wife and I heard all these sirens going past so had
a look outside to see what was going on. It appeared there had been
a serious accident.

"News quickly spread up the street that a baby had been hit.

"The air ambulance turned up soon after and somehow managed to
land in the road.

"There were telephone wires everywhere and it looked really
dangerous. But it was an astonishing piece of piloting and really
something to be admired."

Herne Bay road policing chief Sgt David Knox said paramedics
were taking no chances with the injured girl.

Speaking at the scene, he said: "It appears at this stage that
her injuries are not life threatening, but she's been taken to a
London hospital for scans.

"It's more of a precautionary measure as she lost consciousness
after the accident.

"The driver is a bit shaken, but there was no excess alcohol, no
excess speed and no dangerous driving."

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