A five-year-old West Sussex girl knocked down as she left a birthday party remained in a serious condition in hospital today.

The Pulborough girl's parents were at her bedside.

The child was crossing the road to meet her mother when the accident happened in Cootham, near Storrington, just after 6pm on Sunday.

She suffered head injuries.

Police say the girl's mother witnessed the accident.

The girl was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, then transferred to the neurological centre at Southampton General Hospital.

Sgt Larry Culver of Sussex Police said: "She is still in a serious condition but stable at the moment.

"Our thoughts are with her family. Any accident involving a young child is awful but at this time of year it is even more poignant."

The youngster had just left a birthday party at the village hall in Cootham when the accident happened.

She was trying to cross the A283, close to its junction with Chapel Lane, when she was in collision with a Skoda Octavia estate car being driven west towards Pulborough.

The 44-year-old male driver of the Skoda was unhurt.

Sgt Culver said: "We are still investigating what happened but we believe her mother was on one side of the road and she was on the other.

"We believe her mother saw what happened but we haven't yet interviewed her until things with her daughter are more stable."

Police are appealing for witnesses to call 0845 6070999.