THE grandfather of a boy injured by a car while chasing a ball in the street today backed calls for a children's play area.

Louis Bannister, six, of Record Street, Barnoldswick, was taken to Burnley General Hospital after being hit by a car in Beech Street on Tuesday evening.

He was today "recovering nicely" in hospital.

He had been playing football in the street with friends when a Vauxhall Frontera, driven by local man Robert Arthur Carlos, collided with him.

Police said he had apparently chased the ball and ran out from between cars.

The hospital described his condition as "stable but recovering nicely."

Louis' grandfather Richard Allum is currently helping to look after Louis' three brothers at their home while his parents stay by his side at hospital.

He said: "It's a rabbit run round here and there's nowhere for the little children to play.

"A big crumpet factory was knocked down behind Cobden Street and they are supposed to be building houses on it.

"They could have put something on there for the children.

"They can't even play in the school yard any more like we used to because it's all locked up.

"Louis' condition is much the same.

"He has a fractured skull at the back, a big hole in the middle of his forehead and it cut all round his nose so the doctors said they will have to glue it back down.

"They were supposed to be operating on him on Wednesday at 6pm, 23 hours after the accident, but because Louis had been sick the anaesthetist said they wouldn't do it.

"His dad was devastated because they had built them up thinking he was going to be better.

"Louis is a big lad for six years but he is still very brave."

A spokesman for Pendle Council's recreation and leisure department agreed there were no play facilities in that part of Barnoldswick.

He said: "The nearest is in Harrison Street which is across the main road and the other at Clough Mill is certainly too far away for young children.

"There is no open space in that immediate area of terraced houses and council houses."

But he added that he was unaware of any specific request for play facilities to be provided in that location.