Crash boy still in intensive care

Two young boys are still in hospital, one of them fighting for his life, after they were badly burnt in a mini-motorcycle accident 10 days ago.

Michael Rickman, 11, is in intensive care in the burns unit at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

He was injured along with Michael Bonfield, 12, when the mini-motorbike was involved in a collision with a car in Darenth, Kent, on 1 July.

The older boy is out of intensive care and "showing signs of getting better".

Anita Bonfield urged parents whose children had mini-motorcycles to "think twice about letting them ride it or even be a passenger on it".

'Fighting spirit'

Michael Rickman was left critically ill with severe burns after the bike caught fire following the collision.

His mother Lilian said: "It is very difficult to express how I am feeling at this moment in time.

"Michael has a true fighting spirit. He wants to live and he knows I want him to live.

"We are holding on together, helping each other to get through each day."

The 11-year-old's mother said reading to him from a Nanny McPhee book "gives me the courage to keep strong for Michael".