A primary school boy was airlifted to hospital with two broken legs after being hit by a mini-bus.

The accident happened at the junction of Minster Road and Bellevue Road, Minster, at about 3.25pm on Monday.

Police said the nine-year-old boy, who is a pupil at Minster Primary School, stepped into the road and was hit by a mini-bus.

Paramedics and firefighters were called to the scene and witnesses said the boy’s legs were trapped under the wheels.

The air ambulance landed in the school field and the boy was flown to King’s College Hospital in London.

He also had a head injury, although his condition was not thought to be life-threatening.

Minster Primary School declined to comment but said on Tuesday morning that the boy was doing well.

Police closed the road at 4.15pm and it reopened at 5.30pm.

Ray Graham, who lives in Bellevue Road, said his son, Isle of Sheppey Academy pupil Connor, 12, saw the accident happen.

He said there’s a problem in the area with double parking and also the overgrown hedgerows block off the path, meaning pedestrians are forced to walk in the road.

According to Mr Graham, the road gets very busy at school-run time.

The dad-of-five said: “I hope the boy is OK – he got trapped under the wheels of a mini-bus and the driver was in a lot of shock.

“Connor is a bit shaken up by it.

“I have told him he needs to be aware of the roads and this has brought it home to him how dangerous it can be.

“It’s so busy when the school run comes out and it’s a fast bit of road down there.

“The parking needs to be sorted out and if the council was to prune the bushes back then people wouldn’t have to walk in the road.

“There’s more and more children on the Island and a lot of kids going to school, some walking and some on push bikes, and they are not aware of the road – you see them walking between cars.

“I think a little bit more traffic control is needed.”

Mr Graham also thanked the emergency services and praised the air ambulance staff for the great job they do.

A spokesman for Kent Highways said: “It’s for the residents to tell us if the hedges need cutting back – we do have a hedge cutting programme.

“Where the hedges are on private land it’s for residents to cut back but we do chase them up.

“If they don’t cut them, we do for safety if we think there’s a safety risk, and then bill them.

“We would really appreciate residents contacting Kent Highways to report it.”

Kent Highways can be contacted at 08458247800 or by email on kenthighwaysservices@kent.gov.uk