AN 11-YEAR-OLD girl who was airlifted to hospital after being hit by a car is now in a serious but stable condition.

The schoolgirl was hit by a silver BMW in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, outside the Mayberry garden centre on Sunday afternoon and was flown to St George’s Hospital in London with severe head injuries, fighting for her life.

However, police now say the girl’s condition has steadied and her injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

No arrests have been made so far.

Basim Lewis, who lives metres from where the girl was knocked down, was celebrating his two-year-old daughter’s birthday when the accident happened at about 1.45pm.

The 31-year-old said: “We had people coming to our house for our daughter’s birthday party but couldn’t get here.

“People were trying to get here but the road was blocked.”

Police have appealed for anyone with dash cam footage from Old Shoreham Road to come forward in the hope it could help find out how the girl was hit but have not yet had any success.

Mr Lewis said: “I can’t even imagine what the family are feeling right now.

“Hopefully she pulls through.”

The incident comes eight days after 85-year-old Catherine Akehurst was hit and killed by a car in Old Shoreham Road at the junction with Lullington Avenue.

Mrs Akehurst was sent flying into the air after being hit by the car, just 24 hours after her neighbour emailed The Argus expressing concern about the chances of an elderly person being killed by a car on the road.

Sunday’s collision was one of a string of serious accidents across Sussex over the weekend in which five people were killed and two teenagers injured.

On Friday night, an 85-year-old man died when he crashed his car into the central reservation of the A24 near Horsham.

On Saturday night, four people were killed in two different crashes – one at 8pm in Ringmer and another at 11.30pm at Cross in Hand, near Heathfield.

At the Ringmer scene, a group of people were hit by a 4x4 while walking along Harveys Lane.

Two men were killed – both aged 31. One man was from Tunbridge Wells, the other from Wimbledon.

Police had no further updates on these crashes yesterday.

Anyone with information about any of the crashes is asked to contact Sussex Police by emailing collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or calling them on 101.

They can also report information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.