Lancaster: 11-year-old boy in critical condition after being hit by Lancashire Police van

Lancashire Police said they were attending an emergency call last night (Thursday, May 25) just before 8:30pm, when their van collided with a young boy, who was crossing Owen Road at the time.

The boy was taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary in a critical condition.

A police spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the child’s loved ones at this time.

“An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances that led to the collision. We have voluntarily referred this matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is standard with an incident of this nature.”

The road was closed following the incident but is open now.

What have the IOPC said?

In a statement on May 26, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said: “The IOPC has declared an independent investigation into the actions of Lancashire Police prior to the road traffic collision in Owen Road, Lancaster at around 8.30pm on 25 May, in which a child has been injured.

"We understand that a marked police van, with its lights and sirens on, was in a collision with an 11-year-old boy.

“He has been taken to hospital and our thoughts are with him and his family.

“We were notified by the force shortly after the collision and declared an investigation at 10.37pm. IOPC investigators are heading to the scene and the police post incident procedure to begin gathering information.

“Our investigation is at an early stage.”