For Barrhead woman Lisa Coupar a bright summer's afternoon turned to darkest nightmare in seconds when she learned her five-year-old son had been struck by a car.

It was the start of more than a week of trauma for the family as they waited anxiously for news of little Jay's injuries, hoping and praying he would be one of the lucky ones - and not another grim road accident statistic of the most dreadful kind.

As reported in last week's Barrhead News the Auchenback youngster had stepped innocently from between two parked cars into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

It wasn't travelling fast, but for a small, vulnerable child even a side blow from a car moving at 20mph or less could have spelled catastrophe.

Lisa said: “Now I know it could have been so much worse. I find it hard even to think about how bad it could have been.”

It was harrowing enough for any parent, because the bump which sent Jay flying “left him with half his ear hanging off”.

He was doubly lucky, because first on the scene was a man whose military training meant he knew how to deal with the sort of serious laceration Jay had suffered.

With luck, and skilful surgery, the brave lad could now be on course for an eventual full recovery.

Jay's baby sister Ruby is too young to know what danger he was in, but his big sister Karmen (9) has been worried sick.

Meanwhile his friends at St Marks have sent cards wishing him a speedy recovery.

The family were preparing to go to holiday to Spain, and this week it wasn't certain whether his injuries would heal sufficiently in time to allow that to happen.

Lisa said: “The holiday is up in the air, but considering what has happened it's really not a big deal. “He has been so brave, and we're all just grateful he is going to be all right.”

“He has been in hospital for eight days, and was on morphine to begin with to help him cope with the pain”.

“The doctors had to use skin grafts from his back to repair the tissue behind his ear – the whole thing has been terrifying.”

Now she is arguing strongly for road signs to be posted on the road near the play park, because drivers coming round the bend there don't necessarily know the area is busy with children.

“If a grown-up steps between two cars you can see them, but with a five year old you have almost no time to react,” she said.

“I've contacted the council and the police to ask them to take action before another child is hurt, or worse.”

She added: “The car which hit him was doing just 20mph, and he was still badly injured – but some cars are travelling way above that and another time an accident like this could be so much worse.”

Police later visited Jay's school. St Mark's Primary, to reinforce the message about dangerous traffic in the run-up to the school holidays.