KATIE Scales has gone back to school, three months after being badly injured in a hit-and-run incident in a nearby street.

The Haxby youngster's journey to and from All Saints' School in York even included using the pelican crossing in Blossom Street where she was knocked down by a black Fiat Punto on December 4.

Her mother, Sarah, said she had come through her first full day back at school yesterday really well.

"She seems fine," she said. "I think I was more worried."

As well as getting through the psychological barrier of using the crossing again, Katie was also physically much better after suffering serious jaw injuries in the accident. "She can chew again - although not toffee!" said Sarah. "She might just need a bit of dentistry later on."

But Katie's progress comes as police have suffered another setback in their hunt for the hit-and-run driver. Digital enhancement of CCTV footage showing a black Fiat Punto which may have been involved in the incident has failed to reveal the registration number.

Traffic officers have spent hundreds of hours trying to trace the driver of the Punto which hit Katie.

CCTV footage of the vehicle in Blossom Street was too poor in quality to pick up the vital registration number, which could have led police straight to the driver's home.

But some weeks ago, after trawling through CCTV footage obtained from other sites in the vicinity, police discovered another image of a Punto which could have been involved in the hit-and-run. Again the number could not be read, and the footage was taken to a specialist firm for it to be digitally enhanced in the hope it would be revealed.

That proved unsuccessful and yesterday, officers took the footage to another top-of-the-range specialist in London used by the Metropolitan Police. But once again, the number could not be seen. However, PC Tony Smalley said extra details of certain, undisclosed features of the vehicle were picked up during the enhancement.

Updated: 10:38 Tuesday, March 04, 2003