AN INQUEST into the death of a boy who died after being hit by a car has found the driver was not to blame.

Luke Squires was just 12 when he died on January 10 last year after being hit by a car in Leander Drive, Gravesend, while on his way home to nearby Thong Lane.

This morning (Oct 15), an inquest heard he had stepped into the road and on seeing a Vauxhall Cavalier coming towards him had tried to dash back to the footpath but had slipped.

The driver, Edward Webb, told Dartford Coroner’s Court: “He fell over and I saw his shoe come up and I just ran over him. There was nothing I could do.”

Mr Webb, of Taunton Vale, Gravesend, told the court at the time of the incident he was driving at around 20mph and it was raining heavily so the roads were slippery.

He also said he saw Luke step into the road and slammed on his brakes and swerved to the right but could not avoid hitting the youngster.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Roger Hatch said: “Clearly Mr Webb had no chance whatsoever to avoid the accident which occurred.”

Investigating officer PC Anthony Collins from Kent police told the court he inspected Mr Webb’s car after the accident and found no faults.

After the accident, Luke was rushed to Darent Valley Hospital and consultant surgeon Dr Petr Hanek performed emergency surgery to try to halt massive blood loss from his ruptured liver.

Dr Hanek told the court while operating he realised a more complicated form of surgery which was beyond his capability was necessary, so he arranged for Luke to be transferred to King's College Hospital.

However Luke, who was a pupil at Thamesview School in Thong Lane, died while in surgery at the hospital in Denmark Hill, London.

A post-mortem examination found his death was due to a haemorrhage caused by a ruptured liver and fractured pelvis.