Nine-year-old Lewis Scott knows only too well the need for motorists to watch their speed after he was knocked off his bike as he crossed an Ipswich road earlier this year.

Nine-year-old Lewis Scott knows only too well the need for motorists to watch their speed after he was knocked off his bike as he crossed an Ipswich road earlier this year.

And today his mum, Hayley Blaxell, is urging drivers to slow down and stay alert at crossings after her son's bike “saved his life,” bearing the brunt of the force.

Lewis and his Britannia Primary School classmates took to the streets to help police officers carry out speed checks as part of National Brake Week.

Lewis was standing at the crossing near to the Heathlands Pub on Foxhall Road, in early September when the accident happened.

Waiting to cross the road the youngster had pressed the button on the pedestrian crossing.

As he ventured out into the road on his bike a car carried on through the crossing as the lights shone amber knocking him over.

Miss Blaxell, of Ditton Way, said her son suddenly had to pull back but the car hit his bike and threw him off onto the road.

The 31-year-old, full-time mum-of-five, said: “He (Lewis) cut his knee and was really badly shaken. I am so thankful he is ok. His bike really took the brunt.

“There were a fireman and nurse at the scene, when they brought him home and told me he had been run over I could not take it in, I just went into shock.”

Miss Blaxell said the accident has left her son shaken, scared and wary of crossing the road.

“He couldn't stop thinking about it, he was really shocked by what happened to him and it has made him more aware of how dangerous the roads can be.

“I have drummed it into him to check, check and check again. It was a really lucky escape, his bike saved his life, but he has not been back out on it since the accident.

“I want to thank the people who helped Lewis, thank you so much for looking after him and bringing him home.”

In her plea to drivers Miss Blaxell added: “If you are approaching a crossing and you even think someone might step out on the cross to slow down.”

The Britannia pupils joined members of the Ipswich north east Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) stop and advise motorists on Foxhall Road, after the local community highlighted speeding drivers as one of their top three policing priorities.

At the notorious spot, near to where 26-year-old Emma Harold and Kate Wasyluk, 25, were killed by speeding driver Scott Nicholls, 20, on February 21, 46 drivers were warned about the hazards of speeding and the need to observe the 20's plenty school safety zone.

Sergeant Phil Barrett of the SNT said the exercise was a “great success” in achieving their two aims, educating motorists and helping children develop their road safety awareness.