THE parents of a boy killed in a road accident are demanding answers about how and why he died.

Caroline Butterfield and Peter Dermott say they are being kept in the dark over what happened on the day of the accident.

Care chiefs have promised a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jamie Dermott.

Jamie was riding his bicycle in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Sunday, May 16, when he collided with a car as he crossed Burn Lane.

Police toured the area with a megaphone, asking for information because the boy had no identity on him.

The ten-year-old, who was staying with foster carers in Newton Aycliffe, suffered serious head injuries, a broken hip and internal injuries.

He was placed on a life support machine, but died the following Wednesday in Newcastle General Hospital.

His natural parents, from Keighley, in West Yorkshire, were at his bedside when he died - but they say serious questions remain unanswered.

Miss Butterfield said: "Nobody's told me anything. Most of the stuff I've found out has come from The Northern Echo.

"I'm disgusted. I should have been the first person to find out what happened, but I wasn't. I've told social services that I need answers to how it happened and why it happened."

The accident happened at about 10.30am, but it took police several hours to trace Jamie's foster carers.

Miss Butterfield, who had visited her son the day before, received a phone call at about 11pm to say he was critically ill in hospital.

A taxi took her to Newcastle and she arrived at the hospital just before 3.30am the following morning.