Leeston Road, Canterbury.
Photo: Nathan McKinnon / RNZ
A child who died after being hit by a car in a rural Canterbury town has been identified as a 10-year-old boy from Springston.
Police said Alexander Bennett was walking on Leeston Road near Springston when he was hit about 3.30pm on Wednesday.
He died at the scene.
Springston School said staff and students were being supported after Alexander’s death.
Photo: Anna Sargent
Bennett was a pupil at Springston School.
In a statement, the Springston School Te Kura o Makonui board said its thoughts were with the child’s family, and staff and students were being supported.
“We have had a tragic passing of a student of our school. We are unable to provide any further details at this point as the police investigation is continuing,” they said.
A local parent, Mark Amer, posted on a community page that he was concerned about drivers speeding on Leeston Road, where school children got on and off school buses.
“Most days I drop my daughter off at Springston School and most days I see the same things, people speeding through the 30kph signs near school, people not doing 20kph past a stopped school bus,” he said.
“This morning I stood and watched for a few minutes and couldn’t believe it, it was no bloody different, I couldn’t believe after what’s happened yesterday people are still doing stupid and dangerous things around our kids.”
Police said enquires into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing.
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