FOLLOWING an incident that left a 10-year-old Chadwell St Mary boy in hospital with a serious leg injury and the prospect of a long battle to regain fitness and health, a fundraising page has been set up to help him.

Kay Keeble, a local resident in Chadwell St Mary, has set up a fundraising page for her friend's son Romeo, saying: "Romeo was left with a broken ankle which he has had surgery and a nasty tear on his leg as well as facial injuries.

"He has been so brave through this ordeal and unfortunately he won't be able to enjoy his summer holidays before starting senior school as he should."

The page can be found via this link.

Yesterday (Friday, 28 July) Romeo's mum, Christine Palmer, made an impassioned plea for the rider of the bike that hit her son to turn himself in to police.

And the town's Neighbourhood Watch has expressed its concern that there are no cameras covering the play area, adjacent to Aluric Close, where the incident happened on Thursday, 26 July around 3.30pm.

Local co-ordinator Matthew Beadle says: "I find this absolutely dreadful knowing there is no CCTV in the open space behind Chadwell St Mary library by Aluric Close and St Peters Road.

"If you would like to join the Neighbourhood Watch scheme set up, please visit ourwatch.org.uk."