Leeds girl and dad seriously injured in zebra crossing crash outside school 

A dad has revealed how he feared his daughter had been killed after they were knocked down on a zebra crossing outside a primary school.

Edward Hardcastle and his 10-year-old daughter Lorna-Lily were using the crossing outside Lower Wortley Primary School in Leeds when they were struck by a Skoda Yeti.

The pair were taken to hospital by ambulance. Lorna-Lily was found to have a serious head injury and remained in hospital for around a week. She’s been left with cognitive issues, including headaches, memory problems and anxiety around cars.

Edward, 43, suffered a fractured knee, a cut to his scalp and other minor injuries.

Following the incident Edward instructed expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help them access the ongoing support they require.

Ahead of Road Safety Week, they have now spoken for the first time about the effect the crash has had on them and have joined their legal team in issuing a road safety plea.

It comes after the driver of the Skoda Yeti was sentenced.  They previously pleaded guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by careless driving.

Peter Lorence, the specialist road traffic collision lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Edward and Lorna-Lily, said after the hearing: 

“For Edward and Lorna-Lily, an everyday journey changed in a matter of seconds. What happened shows how quickly families can be left suffering serious injuries because of the actions of others and facing questions about recovery and rehabilitation.

 

“Lorna-Lily has shown tremendous courage, and our focus is on ensuring she and her family have access to the specialist support they need.

 

“We hope this case reminds all drivers of the responsibility they have to protect pedestrians, particularly children and others who are vulnerable on the road.”

The crash happened at 18:35 on 17 September 2025. Edward had just picked Lorna-Lily up from a dance class and the pair were making their way home.  

Edward, an HGV driver, was off work for around 11 weeks before going back on a phased return.  

Meanwhile, Lorna-Lily was absent from school for around three weeks.

Since the incident, Edward and Lorna-Lily’s mum Samantha, 45, have reported an increase in their daughter’s headaches and some concern around her memory, temper and patience. They also said she has difficulty expressing herself when excited and suffers from anxiety and nervousness, particularly around vehicles.

Edward said: “What happened that day still haunts me, particularly seeing Lorna-Lily laying on the road.  

“At that point, I didn’t even know if she was still alive.  It was terrifying but I couldn’t even think about my own injuries, all I wanted to do was get to my little girl.

“When we were told she had a head injury, we were devastated.  She’ll always be our bright and funny Lorna-Lily but her life was changed in a split second through the actions of a careless driver and that is something I’ll never get over.

“She has a lot less patience now, gets angry more easily and even has nightmares at times.  Her anxiety is also worse since the crash, especially when she sees cars.

“On the whole, however, she is doing well and we are incredibly proud of her.  We’re also grateful for all the care and support that our daughter, and we as a family, have received.

“No sentence will ever make up for what we’ve been through, but by speaking out I hope I can make others realise the risks on the roads if you’re not careful.”

At a hearing at Leeds Magistrates Court on 20 October, the driver was sentenced to 12 months community service and was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Road Safety Week, organised by the charity Brake, runs from 15-21 November.