Britain's Got Talent star, 11, dies after being hit by car outside school

The 'shocked and devastated' family of an 11-year-old boy who appeared on Britain's Got Talent have paid tribute to their 'beautiful' son after he was hit by a car outside his school and died.

Evan Rothwell was fatally injured in the incident which happened outside The King's School on the 1483 Wrexham Road in Chester on Tuesday afternoon, November 12. He was airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital after being struck by a grey Nissan Qashqai at around 5.12pm, but died in hospital four days later.

The youngster appeared on the ITV talent show earlier this year as part of the youth choir AmaSing, as the Express reports. His family has called for the 40mph speed limit on the road to be lowered 'to prevent anything like this from happening again'.

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In a touching tribute shared by Cheshire Police, his family said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm that our beautiful son Evan Rothwell has passed away as a result of the road traffic accident near King's School last Tuesday.

"Evan loved life and used his talents to entertain and bring joy to others. Evan lit up the world around him when he was making friends laugh with jokes and magic tricks, playing cricket with his friends, performing with AmaSing on Britain's Got Talent and entertaining audiences as part of the Chester Scout's Gang Show. He made us proud every day. We are shocked and devastated at his loss.

"We would like to thank the emergency services staff and the staff at Alder Hey Children's Hospital for their expertise, care and commitment and most of all for their kindness. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our local community. We really appreciate your love and support.

"The speed limit on the road where Evan was hit is a 40mph limit. This road is outside a school, and we strongly feel that this needs to be lowered to prevent anything like this from happening again."

Evan's headteacher, George Hartley, also paid tribute, saying: "Evan will be forever remembered as a bright, joyful and fun-loving classmate, with an intellectual curiosity that belied his young years. Our thoughts throughout this past week have remained with Evan's heartbroken family, loved ones and friends.

"This devastating news has shaken our school community to its core and there are immense challenges ahead for our pupils, staff and parents. We have drawn great strength from the many messages of support and from the countless tributes being paid to Evan. We are united in grief and shock, and we are doing all we can to support each other with compassion and understanding as we face the loss of one of our own."

And Evan's head of year, Emily Sherriff, added: "Evan arrived at King's in September with an enormous smile and a sense of fun that brought joy to everyone he encountered. As a King's Entry Scholar, he showcased an insatiable appetite to learn about the world. In his form, he was a dedicated charity rep who was committed to bringing new ideas and excitement to his tutor group."