A coroner has called for the lowering of speed limits in residential areas following the death of a three-year-old boy.

Adeel Omar Fiaz suffered head injuries when he was struck by a car after running from behind a parked vehicle in the Undercliffe area of Bradford last summer. He died the next day in Leeds General Infirmary.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said it was always a worry for parents that children might run off when playing in back streets.

The inquest heard the car had been travelling within the 30 mph speed limit and the driver had reacted quickly to the boy running out in front of him.

But Mr Whittaker said he would be writing to the local authority urging it to reduce speed limits in residential areas to prevent similar accidents in future.

In the opinion of an expert who gave evidence at the Bradford inquest, a speed limit of 20 mph or less would be appropriate, said Mr Whittaker.

He recorded an accident verdict on the boy, whose home was in Heath Road, Undercliffe.

Today Adeel's father Omar Fiaz, 22, and his mum Farhat, 26, praised the coroner for his comments.

"I was surprised he said what he did," said Mr Fiaz.

"Other areas in Bradford, like Barkerend, have bumps and speed limits but this area hasn't and this is the result.

"When we were going to the inquest there were people going 50 or 60mph down these streets.

"That is no exaggeration - that is really how fast they go."

He said the family had suffered in the last couple of years with the loss of Adeel who was their only child as well as the death of Mr Fiaz's cousin, Rehana Bi, who died in an accident in Killinghall Road in 1997.

The inquest was told that Adeel had been playing in the garden when a friend kicked a ball into the street.

He is thought to have gone to retrieve the ball when the collision occurred.

Keith Reyner, a civilian employee with the accident investigation branch of West Yorkshire police, said that from calculations he made at the scene the car had been travelling at not less than 26 mph prior to braking.

During a reconstruction of the accident, he said, he "felt uncomfortable" travelling at the mid-20s mph along that road.

The coroner said he did not criticise the car driver, Jamil Ahmed, who had reacted even more quickly than the time limits allowed for in the Highway Code.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: "We have introduced a number of 20mph speed limit zones across the district which usually complement other traffic calming measures.

"We will consider the coroner's comments very carefully."

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