A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD pedestrian has died after a late-night collision with a car on a city centre road.

The crash happened on Manchester Road, at its junction with St Stephen's Road, at around 10pm last night.

It involved a Black Toyota Auris Estate and a child pedestrian.

The Toyota was travelling along Manchester Road, heading away from Bradford, when it collided with a child.

A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous said he heard a massive bang last night and went out to have a look.

He claimed it was a private hire car that hit the child. 

The resident added: "It was really tragic."

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she didn't witness the crash itself, but drove past after she was nearly hit by a black BMW a few seconds before.

She saw the 7-year-old lying in the road.

The woman, a mother, said she was "horrified" with what she saw.

She added: "I had my 11-year-old daughter in the car with me.

"We were both very distressed."

A separate source, who was at the location after the crash, said that ambulance staff were working on the seven-year-old.

They then rushed him to Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI).

But he sadly later died as a result of his injuries.

The driver of the Toyota, a 29-year-old man, from Bradford, remained at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. 

A source claimed that police officers at the scene were asking if anyone recognised the boy, or if anyone knew where he lived.

Our reporter at the scene today has spotted police officers wandering round some of the roads that feed off Manchester Road.

They have been spotted on Ransdale Road, Lindley Road and Ramsey Street.

At around 12.38pm, our reporter discovered two PCSOs guarding an address on Lindley Road.

Then at roughly 2.25pm, a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) van pulled up on the same street.

The van left 15 minutes later, at 2.40pm, but the PCSOs were still on guard.

West Yorkshire Police has now confirmed to the T&A that the police presence is linked to the death of the seven-year-old boy on Manchester Road.

Police are also appealing for witnesses following the fatal road traffic collision.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police's Major Collision Enquiry Team (MCET) are carrying out an investigation to establish the full circumstances of the collision and are also working to support the families of those involved.

Anyone who witnessed either the collision itself, or the movements of the vehicle in the time leading up to it, particularly those with relevant dashcam footage, is asked to contact MCET via 101.

You should quote reference number: 13200404278.

Turning to the wider road safety issue in the area, a number of local residents expressed their continued concern about how Manchester Road is being used by drivers.

One resident wasn't in the house when the crash happened, but got home at about 1am and there was a huge police scene in place.

Speaking about the general issues on Manchester Road and not the boy’s death specifically, he said: "There's lots of cars speeding up and down the road in the early hours.

"I can always hear them going past my house, with their engines revving.

"Something needs to be done to stop young lads always speeding up and down Manchester Road.

"Because, since it's a straight road, they just open their taps and go as fast as they can.

"There's been quite a few accidents there in the last year, so something definitely needs to be done to try and stop speeding."

Another local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said all he could hear was a helicopter hovering round for a while.

He described the death as "really tragic" particularly given it was someone so young.

Of the issues with Manchester Road in general, he added: "Around this area people drive like idiots.

"Speed limits, they just don't care about them.

"I think it's time there were some permanent speed cameras up on Manchester Road.

"But these people, they just don't care about getting a ticket and half the time you've got no idea whose car it is and who's driving."