LEWISHAM: Police and family appeal for witnesses

POLICE have released CCTV images of two vans that may be connected with fatal hit-and-runs in Brockley.

Six-year-old Elliott Forde was cycling with friends when he was knocked down by a white panel van, just yards from his home in Speakman House, Arica Road.

CCTV cameras recorded the vans, a Ford Transit and a Leyland Sherpa, in the area at the time.

Elliott was airlifted to Kings College Hospital but died on the following day. A post-mortem gave the cause of death as a head injury.

Elliott's uncle Lloyd Guthrie said: "We have looked at the CCTV footage, it is not perfectly clear, but there are distinct signs people might recognise. If anyone has any information about the designs or the companies the vans belong to we would very much appreciate it."

Police originally believed the van may have had a yellow stripe along the top and bottom but this is no longer thought to be the case.

The News Shopper appeal for drivers to slow down came after Elliott and four-year-old Harry Furse were killed on the road within weeks of each other in the borough.

And, as the National Road Safety week kicks off, support for the campaign continues with the endorsement of Ken Livingstone's road safety ambassador.

Adding her backing, Green GLA member Jenny Jones said: "Your newspaper has helped restore my faith in the media, which has generally ignored the epidemic of deaths and injuries which plague our streets.

"Unlike people who die in railway crashes, there are no public memorials to those who die on the roads."

Both vans were on Mantle Road around the time of the collision, at 1.35pm on August 22 and police are urging the drivers to come forward.

Anyone with information should call the police on 020 8284 5988 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.