A PAPERBOY suffered a fractured skull when he was knocked off his bike in a suspected hit-and-run.
Lewis Hale, 16, of Glebe Crescent, Broomfield, stumbled into his kitchen at 6.40am on Thursday covered in blood and wailing in pain.
"He came in screaming and crying for help with blood streaming from his right ear," his mother Wendy told the Chronicle.
"I knew immediately he had a head injury and he didn't sound like himself, he just kept repeating himself."
Police have confirmed that Lewis, who suffered a fractured skull and an air bubble to the brain, crashed into a neighbour's stationary car – but suspect a hit-and-run driver struck him first and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Lewis, a grade A student and footballer, said: "I'm doing OK for now – they say the recovery is a slow process.
"I've had great support from friends who keep checking on me to see if I'm all right. But no, I never thought this would ever happen to me."
His mother, Wendy, said she, her husband Ellis, and youngest son Owen, 12, are "struggling" to cope.
"For the family and his younger brother it's been horrendous. We can't really deal with it," said the 46-year-old admin assistant.
"I'm told he'll be fine but I've also been told to look out for liquid running from his nose which could be coming from his brain.
"It's not going to be a normal life for the next six weeks. The worst scenario is he develops brain damage."
The Chelmer Valley High School pupil had just finished his daily paper round for Broomfield News, in Broomfield Road, when the incident happened four doors away from his family home.
A first response car, an ambulance and two paramedics rushed to the house.
The fishing enthusiast then underwent hourly tests while in Broomfield Hospital.
The family's holiday to Tunisia, which they were due to start yesterday (Wednesday), was cancelled.
Following the incident, Mrs Hale wrote an appeal for witnesses on Lewis' Facebook page, which has been inundated with supportive comments.
Broomfield Football Club chairman Andy Rutter, who recently asked Lewis to play for his Broomfield Blues under 18s team, spotted the statement.
"He's what I would call a club stalwart – very nice and very approachable and of course a great footballer," said the 52-year-old.
"I was shocked when I saw the Facebook statement. I phoned his dad Ellis immediately with my concern as both a fellow parent and as manager and chairman of the club.
"I asked him if there was anything we can do to help him. We wish him a speedy recovery."
Broomfield News owner Patel Fatish said Lewis, who delivers every day of the year except for Christmas, was an "excellent paperboy".
"It was very bad when we found out. My whole family went to his house to visit because he works so hard," said Mr Patel.
A police spokesman said: "At this time investigations are still ongoing as to the cause although police are confident that the paperboy did hit a stationary vehicle.
"At this time we are not ruling out the possibility that there was a third vehicle involved."
Anyone who was in the Broomfield area at the time or has any information should call Mel Warren on 101.
