POLICE hunting the hit-and-run driver who knocked down York schoolgirl Katie Scales were revisiting the scene today to appeal for information.

Exactly a week after 11-year-old Katie, from Haxby, suffered multiple injuries in the incident in Blossom Street, York, traffic officers were due to return.

They were speaking to drivers and other passers-by in their search for the driver of the black Fiat Punto that hit Katie.

They plan to stop any similar black Fiat Puntos.

Police say Katie's father, Jeff, may make a public appeal for information at a press conference in York on Friday.

Officers were due to visit Blossom Street between 4pm and 5pm. Katie was knocked down at about 4.20pm last Wednesday.

Police said today they had had no developments since yesterday's CCTV picture appeals, but were still keen to trace people who were in the area, particularly someone shown posting a letter near the crash as it happened.

Current inquiries are also focusing on car hire companies, as they often switch vehicles between branches in other parts of the country. The vehicle police are hunting is a black Fiat Punto, registered from 1999 onwards.

It is believed to have an N registration, which could refer to its being registered in Newcastle.

Of the 420 black Fiat Puntos registered in the York area, 169 have been physically checked, with more than 100 owners turning up with their vehicles at the police station, in Fulford Road, in response to appeals.

PC Richard Gatecliffe, of the Tadcaster-based road policing group, said: "It would be a very strange situation if this driver has managed to keep this all to themselves without anyone noticing their car has quite clearly been damaged. Somebody else must know about it.

"In my experience from previous inquiries, family and friends can stick together and cover up. We are asking these people to examine their consciences.

"I am convinced a responsible person would have come forward by now. I believe the person responsible is now taking steps to avoid being traced and to stop the vehicle being identified."

Anyone with information should contact the road policing group at Tadcaster on 01904 631321.

Updated: 12:29 Wednesday, December 11, 2002