Two-year-old seriously injured after car crashes into nursery playground

A two-year-old boy has been seriously injured and another two children hurt after a car crashed into a nursery playground.

The vehicle drove through a fence at the Partou Sunny Days Nursery and Pre-school on Vale Road in Whitby, Ellesmere Port, just before 09:55 BST, said Cheshire Police.

The two-year-old has been taken to hospital. Police said his injuries were "not believed to be life-threatening". Two other children sustained minor injuries after being hit by fencing. The nursery said it was "extremely distressing" and its immediate focus was supporting those affected.

Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and the boy was taken to hospital with "what are thought to be serious injuries".

A Partou spokesperson said: "We can confirm an incident occurred today at our Sunny Days Nursery setting in Ellesmere Port involving a vehicle entering an outdoor play area.

"This is an extremely distressing incident and our immediate focus is supporting the children affected, their families and our colleagues at the nursery."

The nursery said it was in contact with the families involved and was doing "everything we can to support them during this extremely difficult time" along with working closely with police and relevant authorities on the investigations.

The force said officers remained at the scene to "fully establish the circumstances" of what was believed to be an "isolated incident".

"My thoughts are with the young child who has been seriously injured and their family at what must be an unimaginably difficult time, he said.

"I am also thinking of the other children involved, their families and the nursery staff who have experienced a traumatic incident."