A toddler was tragically killed by her uncle's car as he reversed out of the driveway of her Bradford home.

Saba Amjad had wandered out the back door of her house in Heaton, as her mother was on the telephone for a "couple of seconds".

Paramedics fought to save the injured youngster after the tragedy at 11.30am yesterday but she was pronounced dead on her arrival at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Today, fighting back the tears, her distraught mother, Nashat Misbha, 32, said she had been distracted for a matter of seconds and ran out to grab her but was too late.

She called the incident a "terrible accident" and did not blame anyone for Saba's death. Saba's uncle remained at her side today, offering his support.

Mrs Misbah said: "She was such a beautiful little girl. She was my lovely baby. She never cried and always had a big smile on her face. My poor, poor Saba. I cannot believe she is gone. I just feel so lonely."

Mrs Misbah, of Rossefield Road, said her husband Amjad Saeed - who had never met his only child - was stuck in Pakistan, waiting for paperwork to be completed so he could enter the country. He now faced a desperate race-against-time to see her before she is buried.

Mrs Misbah was married in Pakistan about two years ago and did not know she was pregnant when she returned to Bradford alone.

Although her 32-year-old husband's first visa application was turned down, his second, made in February this year, was successful.

But Mrs Misbah said by the time this was finally processed, a cheque sent to cover the fee had expired and another had to be made out.

"We are just waiting for that to be cleared so that he can come across," she said. "He is stuck out there and helpless to do anything He has been crying down the phone to me this morning."

Mrs Misbah told how he had been looking forward to meeting his only child.

She revealed she had been planning to take Saba out to the Punjab region to see him in the next month if the visa had still not arrived.

Mrs Misbha said: "I want to thank the doctors and medical staff who did everything they could to save my little girl. We are also grateful to the police who have given all the help they can."

Today, members of Mrs Misbah's family gathered at the home to offer support.

Her uncle Haq Nawaz, general secretary of the Pakistan People's Party, said: "Saba was a lovely little girl and the whole family is utterly devastated. We just want to do what we can for Nashat now."

The Coroner has been informed of Saba's death.