A six-year-old girl was rushed to hospital yesterday when she was knocked down at the annual Christmas Parade in Hamilton.

The child?s aunt, Nea Talbot, said her niece was attending the day?s festivities with family and was on the sidewalk when one of the participants in the parade, believed to be a member of the Longriders Motorcycle Club, lost control of his bike and ploughed into the crowd.

The incident occurred around 5.30 p.m. and she said her niece was released at about 9 p.m. from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with cuts and abrasions to knees and elbows.

However, Ms Talbot questioned how something like this could happen at what should be a safe and controlled environment.