Stepfather of girl, 15, left fighting for life after hit-and-run: I hope driver realises tragedy and pain they've caused

Claudia Visser, aged 15, was heading back home to nearby Chaffinch Road after visiting friends and was using the crossing on Grange Road, near Pedmore Technology College & Community School, when she was struck down.

She has been left in an induced coma with broken legs, bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull and internal injuries.

Claudia is being treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital and is in a critical but stable condition.

Police are looking into reports that a light blue or light grey vehicle failed to stop at the scene. The collision is believed to have happened just before10pm on Thursday. Stepfather Graham Southall, aged 49, today asked: "How could someone do this?"

He added: "It's an horrific and cruel thing to have happened to such an innocent girl. Claudia had only just broken up for Christmas from Red Hill and was looking forward to the holidays.

"Whenever she goes out she is never late back, but I was getting concerned when I hadn't heard from her. I called her phone but a police officer answered saying she'd been hit by a car. We rushed down to the crossing and she was in a terrible state. I don't know how she is coping, she's had that many nurses and doctors around her working on different parts of her body.

"I hope to God this driver is caught and realises how much tragedy and pain they've brought to our little girl."

An off-duty nurse who lives nearby rushed to the teenager's aid but saw neighbours running out of their homes. She said: "

I thought she'd already died by the time I got there, that's how badly injured she was.

"This road is notorious for speeders and it shouldn't take such a tragic incident like this to get things to change."

Witnesses should call West Midlands Police on 101.