A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy from Barry died on Wednesday night (August 31) when he was involved in a collision with a van as he was crossing the road.

Austin Meshke, who lived with his family on Court Road, was on the zebra crossing on Barry Road, near the junction with East Walk and Buttrills Road, when the accident happened.

The youngster was with another ten-year-old boy, who had already crossed the road. Austin waited and summoned an unknown car to cross. When that vehicle had passed, Austin entered onto the crossing but was involved in a collision with a white transit van which was travelling in the opposite direction to the car.

Austin was taken to the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff, but died from his injuries.

Sharon O"Connor, aged 43, who lives on Barry Road, said: "Austin"s mother Bronwen is my best friend, and I"m devastated.

"She lived for her boys.

"The family had just come home from seeing the boys" father in America. They"d only been back a few hours."

Barbara Collins, who lives on Barry Road with her husband Terry, said: "We heard a bump and rushed to the window to see what had happened. But we saw nothing - it must have happened so quickly.

"There were police helicopters circling, and the road was closed off until 11pm.

"That junction is so dangerous, with so many roads coming into it."

An employee at the nearby Spar shop described how staff were left shaken, and had found it difficult to carry on working.

South Wales Police are appealing for the driver of the unknown car to come forward with information. It is not known whether the driver was male or female.

They also want to speak to a person who retrieved a pair of training shoes from the scene and handed them to staff at the Spar shop.

Witnesses are asked to contact the Roads Policing Unit at Cardiff Bay Police Station on 029 2022 2111 with any information.