Community leaders have spoken of their shock after the “tragic” death of a seven-year-old boy in a road accident.

Councillors have vowed to take a “hard look” at the road engineering in Mayo Avenue, Bradford, following the incident at about 2.05pm on Friday.

Officers said a Skoda Octavia was travelling along Mayo Avenue towards Bradford when it was in collision with the boy near Morrisons supermarket.

The boy was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary where he later died.

Councillor Ralph Berry (Lab, Wibsey) said concerns over the road had existed for years. He said: “We are clearly going to have a very hard look at the road engineering around there because this is truly shocking.

“As a spokesman for the group for children, we already have an existing problem with one of the highest rates of deaths of this sort in the country, fatal accidents, particularly on roads, in built-up areas. It may well be the tragic truth that nobody was at fault.

“Obviously our sympathies go to the parents.”

Councillor David Green (Lab, Wibsey) said: “Mayo Avenue is an extremely busy major road and what I would say is that we have been trying, with a little bit of success, for years to improve pedestrian safety crossing the road.

“We know a lot of people come across to Morrisons from West Bowling which is why we put in the crossing that is there a few years ago.

“We have been trying to improve pedestrian safety for some time with some success, but clearly there’s always more to be done on major thoroughfares that bring people into Bradford from the motorway.

“Our sympathies clearly go out to the family and we will have to listen closely to the circumstances of the accident to see if we can carry out further improvements in light of this tragedy.

“We will be liaising with the highways department and the police to try and do what we can to prevent this sort of fatal accident happening again.”

Councillor Sher Khan (Lab, Little Horton) said: “It is a tragedy. My heart goes out to the family, especially as it is a little boy like that.”

Residents and business bosses in the area also spoke of their shock over the weekend.

Anwar Sher, owner of the Lazees Halal Meat and Mini Market, in Bowling Old Lane, Bradford, said he and his wife had been told of the tragedy on Friday night by a friend.

Police are appealing for information about the incident.

Witnesses have been asked to call the Major Collision Enquiry Team on 01924 293047.