A six-year-old boy was lucky to be alive after he was knocked flying by a car, neighbours said today.Joshua French received no more than a scratch on the arm when he collided with the car that was driving down Thompson Road in Ipswich at around 2.

A six-year-old boy was lucky to be alive after he was knocked flying by a car, neighbours said today.

Joshua French received no more than a scratch on the arm when he collided with the car that was driving down Thompson Road in Ipswich at around 2.45pm yesterday.

An eyewitness said that he saw Joshua playing with his sister Emma, 11, and another six-year-old friend when the little lad ran out from between two parked cars.

He added that the driver of the car, a woman, was going very slowly but the collision nevertheless knocked him "about eight feet" along the road.

Paramedics and police attended the scene where Joshua was treated.

It wasn't thought necessary to take the Springfield Infants pupil to hospital.

The accident has prompted warnings about the dangers of playing around parked cars – and on busy streets.

Father-of-two Dominic Newby, who saw the accident happened, said: "He went straight into the bonnet and flew about eight feet. He's lucky to be alive.

"I think the driver was left in shock – and I heard she had only passed last week. There was no way it was her fault.

"We've been warning the kids for years. It was lucky that it wasn't one of these young boys who come steaming up here in their cars.

"If it had been one of them it would have been a different story altogether.

Luckily, all Joshua needed was a reassuring cuddle from mum Debbie.

His grandfather Trevor French, who was visiting his daughter-in-law, said: "We all very relieved."