A MUM today appealed for the driver who knocked her teenage daughter down on a zebra crossing to turn themselves in.

Ann Parkinson said 14-year-old Amber, who was left with a broken ankle, could have died after being hit by the car in Hollin Bridge Street near her home in Lynthorpe Road, in the Infirmary area of Blackburn.

And police also urged the driver, who failed to stop after the accident, to come forward and said Amber, walking home from her school, Witton Park Business and Enterprise College, was lucky to have avoided more serious injury.

Amber told police a dark blue car ran over her right leg just as she stepped on to the zebra crossing shortly before 4pm on Monday.

The car, which was believed to have been driven by a woman, immediately left the scene, leaving Amber lying in the road.

The family and police have appealed for a 'good Samaritan' to get in touch believing she may have witnessed the incident. The stranger, who gave her name as Yvonne, came to Amber's aid and drove her home after seeing the youngster in distress.

From there, Amber was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary by her mum and had her ankle put in a cast.

As a result, the incident was not reported to police until 8.30pm, meaning that officers were unable to speak to any witnesses.

Ann said: "I think the driver should come forward and admit what they have done. Amber could have been killed. She was in a lot of pain and I think she is still in shock.

"She just remembers stepping onto the zebra crossing and the traffic stopped. But as she stepped onto it a car just hit her."

Reliving the horrific moment she was hit, Amber, who can only walk with crutches and faces six weeks off school, said: "I was on my home from school and on my home and stepped out to walk across from the zebra crossing as all the cars had stopped.

"Then a car came down the road but it never stopped and hit me. I fell into the road and got up and wallked to the other side. I was in shock at first but then the pain hit me. It really hurts and I couldn't walk. A woman in the car behind stopped and gave me a lift home."

PC Mark Royle-Evatt appealed for witnesses and the woman who took Amber home to come forward. "This could have had a lot more serious consequences. We think it was a woman driver in a dark blue car, but that is as much as we know. "

l Anyone with information should call PC Royle-Evatt on 01254 353767 quoting reference number 265eq 5/12.