A witness to the Coventry hit-and-run deaths has told how he did all he could to administer help to tragic young brothers Corey and Casper Platt-May.

Avtar Chagger was in his office overlooking Longfellow Road when he heard a loud bang, went outside, and then immediately dialled the emergency services for help.

During a phone call lasting more than six minutes, Mr Chagger, a 54-year-old chemist, talked the emergency operators through what was happening at the scene.

Mr Chagger told the Press Association: "I was sitting here doing my work and at 2.01pm I heard a big thud, a really loud bang. Straight away I knew something awful had happened.

"So I ran out the door straight outside - with my phone in my hand - and straight away phoned the police."

Describing the call, Mr Chagger said: "To me that seemed like hours because I was just waiting for them to arrive.

"I saw it was a really bad accident and there was a lot of panic and emotions, and I kept talking to the ambulance and the police to tell them exactly where we are, and gave them the postcode.

"They told me to see if the six-year-old was breathing. I bent down and then a doctor came off the bus (to help Corey) so I went to the next child.

"There was somebody pressing the chest of the two-year-old. I held the nose and I breathed into the child a number of times. By then the police and ambulance arrived and I came aside and let them deal with it."

The boys' family said they wanted to say a "huge thank you" to neighbours, bystanders, the off-duty doctor and a nurse who all helped at the scene, providing blankets for the two boys, and performing CPR.

The brothers' aunt, Chelsea Platt-May, said in a Facebook post: "Without their help I feel we would have not been able to cope."

By Matthew Cooper