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Dad begs for witnesses to horror crash

6/12/2002

A DISTRAUGHT dad says he fears his daughter will never be the same again after being knocked down yards from her Swinton home.

David Mason's 11-year-old, Katie, was knocked down as she crossed Chorley Road with a friend two weeks ago.

Now her heartbroken 47-year-old dad says he's been told the youngster could suffer permanent brain damage.

He is desperately calling for anyone who saw the incident, which happened at about 6pm on Thursday, November 21, to contact police.

A nurse from Hope Hospital stopped to help Katie after seeing her lying by the road, and the injured girl was then rushed to Hope's accident and emergency department before being transferred to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

She was in a critical state for hours, with David and her mum Jennie at her bedside not sure if she would survive.

The Swinton High School pupil pulled through, but as well as a broken leg and elbow, doctors say she could have lost her short-term memory.

And, because of temporary effects caused by drugs administered at the hospital, David said her first words to him after coming around were: "Who are you?"

David told us: "They've said she'll never be the same as she was. It might cause mood swings and it might be a loss of memory. She's already got short term memory loss."

A Salford traffic police spokesman confirmed they were investigating the accident and said anyone with information should call the traffic unit on 856 5071.