A 10-year-old boy who was airlifted to hospital after being hit by a bus is now awake and doing better than doctors predicted, his mother says.

Harrison Sahlah was taken to Kings College Hospital in London following the “horrifying” incident on Sandgate Esplanade near Folkestone.

About eight police cars, a fire engine, paramedics and the air ambulance were called to the scene at about 6.15pm on June 29.

Harrison spent eight days in an induced coma and doctors warned his family he may have a significant disability.

But his mother Kelly says Harrison is now defying the odds and has been making progress every day since waking up.

The 34-year-old said: “Harrison is moving around. He's not talking yet, but he made some noises today.

“His throat has been very irritated by the breathing tube which would have affected his vocal cords but I swear he said ‘Mum’ yesterday morning.

“It must be so frustrating because he understands everything that's going on and he does a thumbs up when we ask him to.

“We're able to communicate with him which is great. It's a lot more positive than what the doctors were predicting.”

Mrs Sahlah has spent 12 days at Harrison’s bedside while he is cared for by specialist teams in London.

Doctors say he has a diffuse axonal injury (DAI) which is caused by a traumatic brain injury.

It is not yet clear how it will impact Harrison’s life but with physio and support, doctors are hopeful he will eventually be able to walk and talk again.

The accident happened on Sandgate Esplanade just outside the Sahlah family home.

It is also just metres from where a seven-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run crash in December.

William Brown died when he was hit by two vehicles on the same road.

Police are investigating exactly what happened on the day of Harrison’s accident, but Mrs Sahlah previously told KentOnline she believes her son may have been hit in the head by the bus while he was “kneeling doing his shoe up on the kerb”.

The mother-of-five said: “Harrison is a very mature 10-year-old and he knows how dangerous that road is, especially after what happened to Will.

“He went to the shop with his friend to get some sweets and snacks.

“He came in the house when I was dishing up dinner and he said, 'I think I've dropped a £5 note.'

“I feel bad because I said to him, 'Go and retrace your steps and see if you can find it' but two minutes later his best friend came running back in to say Harrison had been hit by a bus and that was when the nightmare started.

“It was just weird because he was missing a shoe and a sock and the only part of his body that was hit was his head. There is not a single mark on the rest of his body.

“He is the most sensible kid in the world so I just think, 'How did this happen?’

“I have been here with him every day and I'm exhausted.

“I've had to step out of the room a couple of times because it is so overwhelming to see him distressed.

“His siblings have been making lots of cards for Harrison and they are back at school and being really well supported.”

While he is on the road to recovery, it is not yet clear when Harrison will be well enough to leave the hospital.

However, Mrs Sahlah says returning to the family home is not an option.

“We are not going back to the house because it happened right outside and it could be quite traumatic,” she explained.

“It also has lots of stairs so we physically won't be able to take him back there.

“My mum has a council house in St Mary in the Marsh which already has a wet room in it and a room downstairs we can use as his bedroom when we do get home.

“We are just hoping the council is going to agree we can move him there permanently.”

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to support Harrison’s family while he is in hospital.

So far more than £4,700 has been donated.