Boy, five, killed in lorry crash

Police have launched an investigation after a five-year-old boy was knocked down and killed by a lorry as he attempted to cross the road.

Scotland Yard said they believe the child was with his mother walking along St George's Road in Elephant and Castle, south-east London, when he was in collision with the vehicle.

Paramedics pronounced the boy dead at the scene after being called to the incident at around 3.45pm on Wednesday. His next of kin have been informed and a post mortem is to be scheduled in due course, police said.

The vehicle, described as a flat bed lorry with a crane attachment behind the driver's cab, stopped at the scene.

Its driver, a man aged 46, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

He was taken to a south London police station and bailed pending further inquiries to January next year.

Officers from the Road Death Investigation Unit based at Catford Traffic Garage are investigating the death and have asked anyone with information to contact them on 020 8285 1574.