Boy killed when car strikes group of children outside British school

LONDON (Reuters) - British police launched a murder investigation on Monday after a 12-year-old boy was killed and five others were injured when a car struck a group of children outside a school in southern England.

Police said the they were called to reports that a number of pedestrians had been hurt following the incident which involved a silver Ford Ka.

The 12-year-old boy was taken to hospital where he died. A 53-year-old woman and four other children - three boys, two aged 15 and a 13-year-old and a girl, 16 - were also hurt but their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening or life-changing.

All the children were thought to be pupils at the school, police said.

"This has been a truly shocking incident and my deepest sympathies are with all those involved," Detective Chief Inspector Rob Kirby said.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)