A family friend of a little boy who tragically died after being hit by a car has helped raise thousands of pounds to cover funeral costs.

Josh Osborne, 11, died in the early hours of Wednesday (April 17) after being struck on Court Lane in Orpington on Saturday evening.

Tracy Reilly lives close to where the accident happened and is a family friend.

Her GoFundMe page has so far inspired over £3,000 worth of donations to help cover the cost of Josh’s funeral.

"Josh was such a bubbly little boy," Tracy told News Shopper.

"He had many friends and was loved by everyone. He always had a smile on his face.

"They are a lovely family who don’t deserve this."

Tracy said she was "extremely pleased with the generosity" of people who have helped raise thousands of pounds for the family.

She said: "It’s amazing how the public come together under such tragic circumstances.

"I set it up to hopefully relieve even a little bit of pressure. It doesn’t need to be just for funeral costs.

"It’s just an all rounder to take stress off the financial side. This should help cover things they shouldn’t need to worry about."

Michelle Biddle commented on the fundraiser: "We are all heartbroken. Josh was such a good friend to our boys, and they are both devastated. Please reach out to us for whatever help you may need and know that you have our support. No family should go through this."

Tracy also set up a petition after the accident calling for improved road safety after "several accidents" at the junction of Court Road and Goddington Lane.

READ: Orpington 'hit-and-run' sparks safety campaign for road crossings

More than 5,500 people have already signed it.

THE MET INVESTIGATION

Police said a 73-year-old man who was arrested at the scene has been released under investigation.

He was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and making off from the scene of an accident. It is believed he eventually came to a halt after the crash.

Detectives from the Met’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit are asking anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has dash cam footage, to contact police on 101, or tweet @MetCC. Please quote CAD6316/13Apr.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD6316/13Apr.