Surgeons praised for saving foot of Nelson boy, 11

6:04pm Sunday 4th May 2008

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A GRATEFUL father has paid tribute to hospital surgeons after they saved the left foot of his 11-year-old son following a road accident in Nelson.

Medics at the Royal Blackburn Hospital battled on Thursday night to save the foot of Junaid Hussain's foot after he had been in collision with a car near his home.

His dad Asif Hussain, of Every Street, Nelson, said his son's foot was "hanging off and you could see the bone".

Recalling seeing the injury, Mr Hussain said: "I nearly passed out.

"It was a very serious injury but they did not waste any time and took him to the Royal Blackburn Hospital."

Surgeons at Blackburn operated on Junaid on Thursday night, and he went under the knife again on Saturday.

Medical experts had first feared the foot might have to be amputated but they are now pleased with the youngster's progress, after inserting two metal pins to heal the injury.

Junaid, a pupil at Lomeshaye Junior School, now faces weeks of recuperation before he fully recovers from the incident.

Mr Hussain said: "The surgeons and all the staff at the hospital were fantastic and I cannot thank them enough."

The youngster was walking back from the mosque in Forest Street when he was struck by a Toyota Corolla after crossing Pendle Street on his way home.

Mr Hussain was alerted to the accident shortly after it happened and raced to the scene, where a large crowd had already gathered.

He said: "He was just lying on the floor so I lay beside him because they could not move him."

The father-of-three and security guard said he would also be contacting mosque leaders to ask whether escorts could be provided for youngsters returning home from mosques.

Similar schemes exist in Blackburn and Burnley, where the Safe Routes to Madrassa scheme along Colne Road has been feted by councillors and police chiefs.

The driver of the Toyota remained at the scene and has been spoken to by road traffic police. It is as yet unclear what happened.

Mr Hussain's wife Nazia was picking up Junaid's younger sister and brother, Humaira and Hasan, aged six and four respectively, at the time of the incident.

Junaid had walked to and from the mosque for services on a number of occasions previously.

PC Rod Graham, who has interviewed a number of witnesses, said he was still keen to speak to anyone who remembered the boy or car's movements before the incident and the collision itself.

Witnesses can call the road traffic unit on 01282 472431 Or 01282 472486.