“EVERY day I've thought of your boy,” the lorry driver who struck tragic 11-year-old Kyle Bastable has told the youngster’s family.

Kyle, of Rowley Regis, died at the scene after being hit by the HGV – being driven by DPD driver David Hadley – near the Shell garage on Birchley Island, Oldbury, before 10pm on August 31 last year.

An inquest into the former Rowley Hall Primary School pupil’s death took place at Black Country Magistrates Court today (January 19), where it was heard Kyle was crossing from the centre island to the central reservation of the A4123 Wolverhampton Road when he was hit.

Kyle - who was also known as Joe - and his friend were making their way to his mother, who was at a friend’s house in Oldbury, before the incident took place.

Mr Hadley, who was on his designated route from the DPD’s depot in Exeter to Oldbury, which he had carried out five times-a-week for the past six years, said he saw Kyle’s friend riding his bike across the island and had to slow down to avoid him, but he did not see Kyle – who was following behind on foot.

The court heard tachograph data collected from the lorry indicated the vehicle was travelling at 35mph in the 40mph zone and then decelerated to 22mph within five seconds as it passed the Wolverhampton Road junction.

The lorry sharply decelerated to 17mph, then slightly accelerated to 19mph, before coming to a halt in Churchbridge.

Two witnesses stopped at the scene to give statements, with the driver of a BMW saying he had noticed a child on the island and saw a lorry driving at normal speed. The BMW driver said the lorry had just missed the first child before hitting a second, who he said was close behind.

Police Constable Justin Williams, forensic collision investigator, said Mr Hadley had reacted to the presence of Kyle’s friend crossing the island by decelerating before Kyle moved in front of the path of the HGV.

The PC said it was “unlikely” the collision with Kyle could have been avoided.

Mr Hadley said he was making sure Kyle’s friend was safely across the road, adding that he did not even know he had hit Kyle – despite hearing a thud – but stopped as he felt “a sixth sense” that something was wrong.

He told the court: “I’d like Kyle's family to know that in my heart my conscience is clear. I know that I was doing nothing wrong that night and since it’s happened, every day I’ve thought of Kyle.

“I’ve got a 13-year-old son and I know how much it would hurt. I don't know what you’re going through, but every day I've thought of your boy.

“Nothing I could say could make any difference, but I want you to know that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I never saw him.”

Kyle’s family, who were present in court, contest Mr Hadley’s claims that he did not see Kyle crossing the island, due to him wearing a white t-shirt.

Senior Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique, who confirmed the cause of Kyle’s death was from multiple fatal crush injuries, concluded he died as the result of a road traffic collision.