The mum of a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was left ‘black and blue’ after being severely injured in a hit and run says the reality of the situation ‘still hasn’t sunk in’. Tori Walton, 12, was walking to her grandmother’s house after finishing school at the Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth in Stockton-Upon-Tees when she was struck by a speeding car at a junction. The youngster fell to the ground and suffered a deep gash to her head, which required 17 staples.

But instead of stopping to help Tori, the driver sped off. Thankfully another passing motorist witnessed the incident and rang for an ambulance. Paramedics rushed the bloodied and bruised child to North Tees University Hospital, in Stockton, who treated her head wound and stitched her back together. Police have since launched an appeal to trace the driver. Describing the incident, Tori’s mum Charleigh McCann, 30, said the family has been left shocked by the accident.

The full-time mum-of-four, from Rochdale Avenue, in Roseworth, said: ‘She’s got 17 staples in her head and looks like she’s been through 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. She’s black and blue. It still hasn’t sunk in and we’re all so shocked. ‘Tori is so lucky – especially with having a head injury – it could have been so much worse. But I still can’t sleep worrying about her. She’s petrified of going to sleep as well in case she doesn’t wake up. Thankfully the CT scan she had in the hospital came back clear, but it doesn’t stop you worrying.’.

Charleigh says Tori was on the phone to a friend at the time and didn’t check for traffic properly – but says the driver still should have stopped. ‘She hasn’t looked to the side and she is partially at fault for not looking,’ said Charleigh. ‘She has anxiety from stuff that happened in the past and was talking to her friend on speaker – she should have checked the road better. ‘But that driver made no attempt to stop after to check if she was ok.’ Charleigh added: ‘I’ve got no sympathy for that driver at all – I just want them caught, and I’m sure any mam would be the same.’.

Cleveland Police issued an appeal for witnesses to the incident, which happened around 2.55pm on Tuesday, January 28, involving a silver estate vehicle. Officers are appealing for information and any relevant dashcam footage after the fail to stop collision. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Mum on run for neglect after child fell from moving car tracked down in Tenerife.

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