‘I THINK I’ve just killed a little girl’ were the chilling words uttered by a lorry driver after he knocked down a 10-year-old from Penge, a jury has heard.

Latoya Smith, of Wordsworth Road, Penge, died on January 26, 2010 after being hit by a lorry driven by Michael Taylor on her way to Camelot School in Peckham.

Her mother had walked her to the first bus stop but the 10-year-old was changing buses at the junction of Peckham Rye and East Dulwich Road, Southwark, at around 8am when she was hit.

Latoya suffered catastrophic injuries and was rushed to King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill where she later died.

An inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court heard how she had baked cakes for a charity sale for her school the evening before her death.

Jurors were also told there had been building works at the junction.

The permanent traffic lights were not working so temporary traffic lights had been put up and there was a sign which said ‘No Crossing Here’.

Witness Christine Waldron was in the car behind the lorry.

She said: “It was like she came out of nowhere.

“It was something I never wanted to see and I hope I never have to see again.

“After the accident I banged on the lorry window and the driver said to me, ‘I think I just killed a little girl’ but I said I thought she was still alive because she was moving.

“I can remember what clothes she was wearing and the colour of her tights.

“I’m sorry but she was not at the crossing.”

Abisamad Abdulle was waiting for a bus across the road when he saw the accident unfold.

He said: “The lorry ran over her leg and back. I don’t think he saw her because he didn’t stop for a while.

“When I got to her, she was on the ground, her hood was up and I saw one earphone in her ear and the other on the ground.”

Camelot School learning assistant Christine Milton often sat on the bus with Latoya on the way to school.

She said: “She was very confident and had good road sense: she would look right and left.

“She may have been worried about getting to school on time because she would often help out in the mornings and say, ‘is there anything I can help you with Miss?’

“She would sit on the bus with me and tell me about her plans.”

A statement from her mother, Grace Johnson, was read by coroner Dr Andrew Harris and described how she was a “gifted runner” and “wanted to be a teacher”.

The inquest continues.