A HEARTBROKEN father told last night how a Halloween game of trick-or-treat ended in tragedy when his four-year-old son was killed in a road accident.

Luke Donaldson, of The Crescent, Chester-le-Street, was killed while enjoying Halloween antics with his father, Thomas, two older brothers and his sister.

Mr Donaldson, 53, said his son was struck by a red Mercedes van after he ran across Waldridge Road on Tuesday night to see his two brothers.

He was initially knocked unconscious but came to briefly to ask for his mother, before again slipping into unconsciousness.

Paramedics tried to revive Luke at the scene, but he was pronounced dead at Dryburn Hospital where he was taken with multiple injuries.

Mr Donaldson said: "I can't believe that this could happen when you just take the kids out trick-or-treating.

"I had taken them out to knock on a few doors and his two brothers had crossed Waldridge Road towards some houses.

"Luke wanted to go across the road, but I told him to stay.

"But when I turned round for a second, he started to run across the road. I tried to grab him but I just missed.

"He was about one step away from the opposite pavement when he was struck by the van.

"He was unconscious, but then he woke up and grabbed hold of my hand, asking for his mum. He even got up for a minute and I thought he would be fine.

"But by the time his mum arrived, he was lying on the ground again."

His mother was by his side when he died.

Mr Donaldson said Luke, who had just started school at Red Rose Primary School in the town, was "a good-natured boy who is already badly missed by the other children".

County Durham police confirmed that they are investigating.

On the same night, a 27-year-old man died and two others were seriously injured in a head-on crash on a quiet east Durham road.

Ian Hall, of Woodfield in Peterlee, died at the scene on a stretch of the B1283, between Haswell Plough and Pemberton Arms crossroads.

Mr Hall had been the passenger in a Ford Sierra car which was in collision with a Daihatsu FourTrak. Both drivers, believed to be from the Haswell area, suffered multiple injuries and were taken to Dryburn.

Anyone with information on these accidents, or a minor one yesterday morning on the southbound carriageway of the A1, should contact police on 0191-386 4929