The family of a young boy killed on his bike nearly six months ago are furious that nothing has yet been done to improve safety at the scene of the tragedy.

They are also preparing to sue Oxfordshire County Council for negligence in a damages claim over the death of nine-year-old Ryan Sullivan at Charlbury.

The boy's grandfather, garage proprietor Peter Sullivan, said: "It's a disgrace. They have had numerous written complaints from people in the town.

"They were warned there would be a death there. It's happened, but still there's no action. Maybe they are afraid that, if they do something, they would be admitting liability."

Ryan's father, also called Peter Sullivan, has already collected more than 400 signatures for a petition demanding action.

Ryan, a pupil at the town's primary school, died when he was hit by a car as he was crossing Stuart Road on his bike outside the Fiveways general store. He was crossing at a controversial "chicane" where the road is narrowed, with an island in the middle for pedestrians. There are no warning signs for traffic to slow down and the crossing is heavily used by residents of the nearby Sturt Close and Hughes Close estate.

The accident was during half-term school holiday on June 1.

Ryan was killed just yards from his home in Sturt Close. The driver of the car, a Toyota Corolla, has not been charged by police.

A date for an inquest into the boy's death has not yet been set, but it could be held in a few weeks time.

Story date: Saturday 27 November

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