THE head teacher of a York school has reminded pupils of the importance of crossing roads safely, after a 12-year-old boy was hit by a car last week. The message was issued after a pupil at Archbishop Holgate’s CE School was in the incident at the pedestrian crossing opposite the Black Bull pub, in Hull Road, at about 4pm last Friday.

Police said the incident happened after the boy was believed to have stepped backwards on to the road after walking over the crossing with a group of other pupils from the school.

John Harris, head teacher of the school, said: “We have a comprehensive programme of road safety in place at the school which moves from Year Seven right the way through. We called the boy’s year group together, partly to reassure them that he is doing well and to say a prayer for him, and also of course to underline again the need for safety crossing any road anywhere in the country.” Police previously said the boy was thrown up on to the windscreen of a silver Skoda Fabia after coming into contact with the vehicle.

They said the driver of the Skoda, a man in his 60s, had stopped immediately and was not injured in the collision. A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said no-one had been arrested in connection with the incident. The boy was taken to York Hospital, where he remained yesterday. The North Yorkshire Police spokesman said his condition was “comfortable” and “satisfactory”.

Mr Harris said police had praised pupils for the help they had given officers with their inquiries into the crash.

“Our pupils were outstanding,” he said. “The police made a point of saying how responsive they were, how they were doing all they could to assist. A number of staff from the school also assisted the police and the hospital staff were full of praise for them.

“We were in touch throughout the weekend with the boy’s mother and grandmother, the nursing staff and the police and we’re delighted that he is improving all the time, eating and even raising a smile.”