First picture of accident victim Mitchell Clifton

Police today issued this picture of the seven-year-old, in his Cheslyn Hay Primary School uniform. He was struck at the car park entrance to the Co-op store in Landywood Lane, Cheslyn Hay, on Wednesday and died at the scene.

Relatives formally identified Mitchell yesterday. A minute's silence was held in memory of the youngster, who lived in High Street, at an awards evening at Cheslyn Hay Community & Sports Club, in Station Street, last night.

The driver of the white Mercedes Sprinter security van involved in the crash was a 45-year-old man from Cheshire. The lane was closed off for around two hours when the Midlands Air Ambulance was dispatched and to allow police to carry out investigations.

Cheslyn Hay Primary headteacher Sharon Maiden paid tribute to the youngster, of High Street, Cheslyn Hay, and said the whole school was "devastated" by his death.

"This is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts and prayers go out to Mitchell's family," she said.

"The whole school is devastated and our priority at the moment is to support pupils and staff in the best way possible."

In the aftermath of the tragedy residents said they had long feared there would be a serious accident and called for improvements near the car park entrance. Stewart Smith, aged 37, said: "The area has been an accident waiting to happen. The shop is really busy."

Father-of-two Russell Edwards, of nearby Pinfold Lane, said: "I used to live on the street and we've have had a lot of near misses."

Fellow resident Betty Hackett said: "It was definitely an accident waiting to happen – cars screech in there and reverse without really watching behind."

The Midcounties Co-operative said the chain was helping with the investigation.

Staffordshire highways chief County Councillor Mike Maryon pledged that officials would look into whether anything could be done to improve safety.

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