A FOUR-year-old boy died from head injuries after he was accidentally hit by a car driven by his father outside Thame Leisure Centre just weeks before Christmas.

Described by his parents as ‘our world, our everything’, Barnaby Cork, of Croft Close, Thame, had been in the car with his family outside the leisure centre on Saturday, December 10 last year.

It had been planned for his two siblings to go swimming with their mum Ella, while Barnaby and dad Stefan went to a nursery to pick a Christmas tree, a court heard today.

But coroner for Oxfordshire Darren Salter said the youngster had changed his mind and wanted to go swimming.

He said: “Stefan and Ella walked to the driver’s side and it was decided Stefan would go and pick up the Christmas tree.

“Stefan got back into the car and started to reverse.

“Ella walked around the front of the car and saw only two siblings on the pavement.

“She asked where Barnaby was and one of the siblings pointed towards the road where Barnaby was lying.”

Reaching a verdict of accidental death, Mr Salter sent his condolences to the family ‘over the loss of young Barnaby in these awful circumstances.’

Although Barnaby’s ‘heart-broken’ family were not present at his inquest, they said in an online statement they would give anything to have their son ‘back in the safe and loving arms of our family.’

Since their son’s death they have rallied the community together to raise more than £30,000 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

On their Justgiving page, Mr Cork said: “Ella and I will forever be indebted for the speed, skill and courage of all these great people on the scene fighting with Barnaby, including the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

“Only this summer we were raising money for the air ambulance and never for one second thought that we would be calling on them in our own moment of need.”

The family are also organising a charity football and family fun day on Monday, May 1 from 12noon to 4pm at the ASM stadium in Thame to raise money for the air ambulance.

Thame town mayor Linda Emery praised the family’s ‘amazing’ fundraising efforts and said they were probably a ‘coping mechanism’ to help them deal with their loss.

She said: “It is very close to their hearts and the air ambulance were just so wonderful in trying to save Barnaby but unfortunately it was not to be.

“He is still very much in our hearts. The family are just amazing, to be able to carry on and be so generous to others.

“They are really giving back in the name of Barnaby and we are just so proud of the family.”

To donate visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/barnabycork