A DISTRAUGHT mother was today holding a bedside vigil as her six-year- old daughter fights for life in hospital.

Little Bethany Proudley has undergone emergency surgery after being hit by a car outside her home.

Her mum Sandra is currently waiting by her bed in the intensive care unit at Southampton General Hospital where her only daughter lies in a critical but stable condition.

Police today stepped up their appeal for witnesses to the crash, which happened just hours after this picture of Bethany was taken cuddling her cousin.

She suffered life-threatening head injuries in the accident with a green Nissan Primera outside her home in Carnation Road, Bassett Green.

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It happened as she crossed the road with her toy scooter to get some money after hearing the sirens of an ice-cream van.

Family friend Anne Morgan, a launderette worker, said: “There was a loud bang, then the next minute we saw Beth’s scooter fly up in the air.

“The car had a massive dent in the front and Beth was knocked across the other side of the road under a parked Rover.

“She was crying out and screaming. There was blood coming from her head but she was moving.

We are just praying she is going to be OK.”

Resident Maggie Fielden, 46, added: “When we saw it was a child we thought ‘oh my God’. The car looked like it had crashed into a wall or a pillar.”

Paramedics spent 40 minutes treating the Bassett Green Primary School pupil at the scene of the accident on Monday evening.

But when she was taken by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital at 7.42pm she fell unconscious and has not woken since.

People in the neighbourhood have today rallied support for the family and are even taking dinners across for Bethany’s two brothers who are being looked after by their 20-year-old cousin Ali Salehizadeh.

He said: “I was at the shop at the time but when I came back I saw Bethany lying there screaming.

“When she got in the ambulance she went unconscious and hasn’t woken up. She has a bad head injury. Sandra is at the hospital at her bedside around the clock.

"We are waiting to see if she will wake up and whether she will have brain damage. We have to keep everything crossed.”

The driver of the car, a 33-year-old man from Southampton, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

He has been bailed until July pending further inquiries.

Anyone with information about the collision should contact Totton Roads Policing Unit, quoting Operation Bramblewood, on 101.