A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD girl was critically-ill in hospital last night following a road accident near her home.

The schoolgirl was involved in a collision with a car in Broom Lane, Ushaw Moor, near Durham City, at about 3.45pm on Wednesday.

Police said it appeared that the girl stepped into the road into the path of a blue Ford Ka, about 100 metres west of the junction with Valley View.

The girl, who has not been named, suffered serious head injuries, a suspected broken wrist and cuts to the chin.

She was airlifted to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, by the Great North Air Ambulance.

Last night, doctors described her condition as critical, but stable.

The 43-year-old female driver of the Ford Ka, who is from the Durham area, was badly shocked but unhurt.

She was driving towards Deerness Sports Centre, in Ushaw Moor.

Broom Lane, a busy road out of Durham City, was closed for about an hour after the accident. All traffic was diverted.

The accident has prompted people living in Ushaw Moor to renew their calls for crossings and traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps or chicanes, to be installed in the village.

Broom Lane has a 40mph speed limit until the centre of Ushaw Moor, where it changes to 30mph.

John Booth, secretary of the Hunters Gate Residents’ Association, said: “Speed and road safety have been high on the agenda for two years.

“We believe traffic surveys have been done in the wrong place.

“No one is taking our concerns, and the concerns of the village, seriously.

“Traffic calming measures should be put along Broom Lane, Station Road and on the road to Esh Winning.

“We will support whatever traffic calming measures are deemed necessary by the local authority.”

Mr Booth also called for zebra crossings to be introduced, particularly around the junction of Broom Lane, Whitehouse Lane and Station Road.

Witnesses to Wednesday’s incident are asked to call the police’s accident investigation unit on 0191-375-2159.