A MUM has told of her horror as she realised her son had been hit by a car when walking home from the park.

Samantha Neal, 37, was waiting for her son to come home from Southend’s Priory Park but, when he failed to turn up, decided to go and collect him.

She was walking to the park when she came across emergency services at the scene of a crash.

She said: “He was meant to be coming home from the park and I was going to go and get him when I saw there had been a crash.

“I was standing on the corner when I saw two of his friends coming towards me and they were calling out. They told me it was my son who was hurt.”

Samantha’s 13-year-old son, who the Echo has decided not to name, had been struck by a Citroen Saxo in Hobleythick Lane, Westcliff.

Paramedics had spent an hour treating him at the scene before he was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, in London.

The Castle View School pupil was thought to have sustained serious head injuries during the accident, which happened at about 5.15pm on Thursday, April 13.

Samantha, of Carlingford Drive, Southend, was understandably terrified.

She said: “I was in shock. As soon as I’d realised what had happened I started crying.

“I was really scared of what might have happened and that he had been seriously injured.

“I was really worried as he has an existing heart condition where his heart races too.

“He was being airlifted to hospital and was on his way when I got there.

“The police took me to the hospital with the blue lights flashing all the way.

“When we got there I couldn’t see him straight away and when I did he was asleep with lots of tubes in.”

Despite the paramedics initial concern, the teenager miraculously escaped without serious injury.

He had a nasty cut to his head and grazes on his knees but was otherwise unharmed and remembers little of the crash. He is now recovering back home.

Samantha added: “He keeps saying it was like a dream and doesn’t really know or remember what happened. I would just like to thank everyone for helping him.”

So far, no arrests have been made.

Essex Police have appealed for anyone who may have dashcam footage to come forward. Anyone with information should call Pc Jack Sneath on 101.