Liverpool and England footballer Steven Gerrard today visited the hospital bedside of a 10-year-old boy he knocked down in his car.

Gerrard gave a signed England shirt and boots to a "speechless" Jamie Hellawell who is recovering from the collision near Southport, Merseyside.

The youngster had just left Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Birkdale at around 3.15pm yesterday when he was hit by Gerrard's Bentley car.

Witnesses are reported to have said he ran into the road.

The midfielder comforted Jamie until paramedics arrived and took him to Ormskirk & District General Hospital, before he was transferred to Alder Hey Hospital.

Today, Gerrard went to see Jamie in hospital to check on his progress.

His mother, Helen Hellawell, from Birkdale, said: "I was really shocked when my Dad came and told me that Jamie had been knocked down. I went straight to Grantham Road, where it happened. Steven was shocked and upset and was holding Jamie's hand. He was lovely and waited with us until the ambulance and police arrived.

"Jamie is quite chirpy and is putting on a brave face. He was absolutely delighted that Steven came to visit him in hospital today and was speechless when he saw the special gifts that Steven had brought him."

A hospital spokeswoman said Jamie was in a stable condition after fracturing his left tibia and fibula. He is being detained for observation.

A spokesman for Gerrard earlier said he was driving "very slowly" at the time of the accident and was "distressed" over the incident.

Gerrard later attended a police station where he produced his driving documents and made a statement about the collision.

Jamie, a Manchester United fan, was especially pleased to receive the signed boots, belonging to the club's star striker Wayne Rooney.

Gerrard said he phoned Rooney after discovering Jamie was a United supporter and arranged for the boots to be collected overnight.

Gerrard, who made his hospital visit after training with Liverpool, also met other children on the wards and posed for photographs and signed autographs.

He said: "It was a real relief to see Jamie sitting up and smiling. I wasn't too sure how pleased he'd be to see me, given he's a United supporter, so I thought an England shirt might be a bit safer than a Liverpool one!

"Wayne has been really supportive too. I hope Jamie's up and about again very soon."

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