THE family of a boy who was mown down as he waited to cross a dual carriageway spoke of their relief yesterday after a judge ruled he was not to blame for his death.

Four years ago this week, Michael McAnaney, 13, was killed when Deborah Quinn, 26, crashed into him and his friends as they tried to cross the A688 Spennymoor bypass, just eight days after she passed her driving test.

The unsupervised boys, all aged 13, were hit as they made their way from a five-a-side football match, which had been moved from their local leisure centre to a field.

Michael's parents, along with parents of the injured boys, were forced to launch a court battle after Miss Quinn's insurers refused to pay out.

NIG Skandia said it could not settle, because Michael and the boys could have in some way been responsible for the accident.

But at Newcastle County Court yesterday, Judge Judith Moir found that Miss Quinn was negligent in causing the tragedy.

The parents' case against Sedgefield Borough council, named as the second defendant in the case, was dismissed, because Judge Moir found Miss Quinn was 100 per cent liable.

The families of four of the youngsters won their claim for damages against Miss Quinn and another settled out of court. The sums involved will be settled at a later hearing.

After the judgement, Michael's father, Brian, 34, said: "It is such a relief that it is all over.

"The reason we have taken it this far was because they were trying to blame Michael for his own death - they were trying to put some blame on the kids."

Mr and Mrs McAnaney, who have four other children, will receive £7,500 plus the cost of Michael's funeral.