A coroner is demanding more safe areas for young skateboarders in the wake of the tragic death of a nine-year-old schoolboy.

Ryan Harrison died when the skateboard he was riding careered in front of a Hopper bus in Brownroyd Hill, Wibsey.

Ryan, of Carr Bottom Avenue, Bankfoot was playing on his skateboard on a steep snicket which joined the main road, a Bradford inquest heard.

Ryan, a pupil at Wibsey First School, and his two friends had already made several runs down the snicket before Ryan shot out into the road and collided with the bus.

A pathologist told the inquest that Ryan suffered head injuries and died at the scene.

Recording an accidental death verdict Coroner Roger Whittaker said it appeared that there was a lack of facilities for skateboarding in the area and he would be writing to the local authority.

"I hope as a result of this inquest the local authority may take notice and provide an area were skateboarding, rollerskates and rollerblades can be used away from public traffic."

The coroner's plea for safe areas was backed by Wibsey First School governor, Richard Sheard. He said: "We have facilities in Wibsey Park but it is a long way from Brownroyd Hill and its not safe for a child to go up there.

"The district is very short of facilities which are close to houses."

Mr Sheard said he would contact Bradford Council about the problem. "The school has been absolutely devastated by this tragedy."

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe pledged to speak to Home Secretary Jack Straw about the problem of skateboards on the roads.

But he said: " The skateboards are a menace both to the youngsters using them and to other people. It is a real problem and many constituents have been in touch with me."

At the inquest the coroner expressed his sympathy both to Ryan's parents and the bus driver, Christine Baggott, whose driving, he said, had played no part in the tragedy.

Miss Baggott, from Rastrick, told a police officer after the accident: "He was going at a great speed. They sort of shot out, you see. There was nothing else I could do."

Police accident investigator PC Williams Collins described the minor road, Brownroyd Walk, as almost a concealed entrance with very limited views onto the main road.

"Using a skateboard on a public road is dangerous," he said.

"It is a toy which shouldn't be used in areas were they are likely to confront other forms of traffic.

"I would make a personal appeal for skateboards to be banned from use on roads."

Mr Whittaker said it was clear that Ryan was an adventurous little boy who enjoyed his outings with his pals.

"It is a trite saying, "boys will be boys" but if there is a different way of using an implement they will find it."

He said the boys had decided to use the skateboards sitting down or partly lying down and it was lucky that there had been no previous mishaps.

Bradford Council is in the process of adopting a bye law to stop youngsters from skate boarding in prestige Centenary Square in front of City Hall for safety reasons. But today a recreation spokesman said there were facilities for skate boarding, including one in Wibsey Park.

Chairman of the Council's community safety committee, Councillor John Ruding, said he was deeply sorry about the tragedy. "This is an issue we will have to look at closely as soon as possible. The facility is being considered in regeneration schemes but I think we should also get the message across to children and could possibly use the schools as a vehicle."

Councillor Ruding said: "We can't allow our children to get into danger."

In l991 the parents of Lee Wilkinson, eight, from Baildon campaigned for safe play areas after Lee was killed in a skateboarding accident.

A £20,000 skateboard and BMX bike area was opened in Robert's Park, Baildon, in 1993.

A spokesman from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "Children should be educated not to use skateboards near roads or on public footpaths. Obviously schools could play a part. They should only be used in designated areas where they do not conflict with other road users."

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