The family of a six-year-old girl was keeping a bedside vigil last night after she was seriously injured in a road accident yesterday morning outside her summer school.

The youngster, who is not being named, was critical in the Intensive Care Unit of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after receiving severe head and chest injuries as she made her way to a Government summer day camp. Last night, Youth and Sport Minister Dale Butler said his Ministry would be carrying out a comprehensive report into how the collision happened, and would investigate whether any changes needed to be made to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future.

It is understood that the Somerset youngster had just got off a bus outside Purvis Primary School on St. Mary's Road in Warwick and was walking across the pedestrian crossing with her older brother when she was hit by a car travelling west.

Friends of the family said yesterday that the two children were making their way into the school for the summer day camp at about 7.45 a.m. when the collision occurred.

One family friend said it appeared that a jeep type of vehicle, driven by a young woman, struck the girl head on as she walked just ahead of her brother.

The bus they had just got off was waiting at the crossing for the children to pass, and a number of passengers witnessed the accident. However, Police said yesterday they were particularly interested in speaking to the occupants of a silver car that was travelling west at the time, towards the Cedar Hill area, and is also believed to have stopped at the crosswalk to let the youngsters across.

Last night, Mr. Butler said, as the summer day camp was Government-run and organised by his Ministry, he had become aware of the accident very early and said a detailed report would be carried out into how it had occurred.

He said as soon as the incident was reported to the Ministry an officer had gone to the school to speak to people on the scene. Both he and Education Minister Paula Cox then went to the hospital to visit the girl and her family, and to pass on their regards and concerns.

He said: "It was upsetting. I'm brand new to the job (of Minister) and I did not have anything like this during my 16 years as a principal.

"But I wanted to send my best wishes to the child and the family, and hope that if anything needs to be done to improve the area, it will be done."

Mr. Butler said when he arrived at the Intensive Care Unit he found the little girl's distraught parents surrounded by a Minister from the First Church of God and family members, but he said her mother was particularly distressed.

"I thought I would go down there on behalf of Government to speak to the family and provide them with any assistance that I could and to voice my concerns," added Mr. Butler.

"After the Youth and Sport Ministry found out what had happened, we immediately informed the Premier, because it was a Government programme, and the Education Minister.

"After I had been to the hospital I then went to the Culinary Arts Festival that all of the camps were holding, including the children from the camp at Purvis.

"They still attended the festival, which was good because I think they needed to get out of the school environment, and they seemed okay.

"Obviously, tomorrow, we will have to see how they are doing. We don't have any of these details yet, but we are doing a comprehensive report."

Anyone with information should call P.c. Victor Fishington on 299-4302 or 299-4265.