Woodingdean schoolboy hit by car on 'dangerous' road

Freddie Frape, 12, had just got off the bus after school when he was struck in Cowley Drive, Woodingdean.

The Year 8 Longhill High School pupil's shin bone was snapped and he had multiple cuts.

Now his family, who live in Falmer Road in Woodingdean, are calling for the speed limit to be reduced to 20mph and a crossing put in.

• READ MORE: Boy, 12, taken to hospital with serious leg injury after being hit by car

Freddie’s mother Emma Frape, 35, who was prom dress shopping with her daughter Esme, said it was the “most horrendous” time of her life and she feared her son would die.

She said: “He got off the bus and went in between two buses which were pulled up. Obviously he should have waited for the bus to go but he’s a kid and they don’t always think. He was rushing to the sweet shop.

“As soon as he stepped out, the car hit him. She didn’t see him. He’s lost his memory of the accident, he can’t remember seeing her or anything. He only remembers screaming for his friend and dragging himself away.

“He was hit at 30mph but on that road there is only room for one car. When there’s two buses pulled in, there is only space for one car at a time.

Freddie and his dad Steven leaving the Royal Alexandra (Image: Emma Frape)

“So going 30 on that road is dangerous. It’s not the woman’s fault obviously as she was just doing the speed limit. But the speed limit should be lowered.”

Emma was in Brighton with daughter Esme, shopping and having lunch, and rushed back to be with Freddie.

She said: “I asked if he was alive and they said he had a chunk missing out of his leg. It was good that he was talking but I knew that doesn’t mean he’s going to be OK.

“We ran from Marks and Spencer’s in Brighton as fast as we physically could to my car and drove back as quick as possible.

“It was horrendous, the most horrific thing. That was the most horrendous time of my life because I really thought he was going to die. And you know what it’s like when you’re trying to get somewhere as quick as you can and you get stuck behind the slowest driver.

“His shin bone snapped and he has a lot of chunks missing from his skin from where he was dragged or his foot was under the car.

“He has sore open wounds which have dressings on.”

Cowley Drive in Woodingdean where Freddie was hit by the car (Image: Google Maps)

Freddie was taken to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital after the accident last Tuesday. He had an X-ray and a surgery which involved putting titanium rods in his leg the next day.

Emma is calling for Brighton and Hove City Council to make the road safer.

It is not in the council’s list of pedestrian crossings priority list.

Emma said: “Rottingdean is a more upper class place and it’s 20mph all the way through, so why the hell isn’t Woodingdean 20mph too?

Freddie at home recovering (Image: Emma Frape)

“The amount of animals that have been killed and kids that have almost been killed. It’s not fair.

“There should be a pedestrian crossing too because of the number of children who get off that bus to the sweet shop or just cross to the lower part of Woodingdean. It’s so dangerous.”

Freddie’s recovery is expected to take six months but Emma said he could be back at school by February 20.

Brighton and Hove City Council has been approached for comment.