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Brentford's Harlee Dean aids young fan hit by car

Brentford child injured outside Griffin Park stadium
Image: Brentford child injured outside Griffin Park

Brentford defender Harlee Dean rushed to the aid of a young supporter hit by a car on Saturday, after being sent-off in the win over Nottingham Forest.

Dean, who was dismissed in the 71st minute, was walking home from the Bees' ground Griffin Park when he witnessed eight-year-old Ted Starkey being hit by a vehicle outside the Princess Royal pub.

Dean ran back to the stadium and grabbed Brentford team doctor Matt Stride, who rushed back to the scene with the former Southampton defender and tended to the boy before an ambulance arrived.

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Starkey, a Bees season-ticket holder, was taken to West Middlesex hospital after being checked for neck and spine injuries.

And he has been invited down to the Brentford training ground once he is fully recovered.

Ted's father Richard told Sky Sports News HQ: "Ted has been a season ticket holder for about four years now and he loves going.

"We went into the club shop and then got a picture with player Ryan Woods, and he was quite excited. We were walking up to Ealing Road and I think he thought he heard me say "go over the road", so he ran into the road.

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Harlee Dean witnessed the incident and fetched Brentford club doctor Matt Stride
Image: Harlee Dean witnessed the incident and fetched Brentford club doctor Matt Stride

"Then I saw the lights coming, the car was going 30mph, and he went up onto the bonnet, and I didn't realise until afterwards when a police officer told me that he had been thrown 15 feet. 

"An off-duty doctor came over and was asking his name, keeping him talking, and a couple of paramedics were there, but then club doctor Mr Stride came running up, and we found out later that it had been Harlee Dean who went running back to get him.

"The club have been brilliant. The chief executive Mark Devlin phoned me asking about him, offering for him to be a mascot and to come down to ground to meet the players.

"All the fans have been great too and they're now calling him 'the incredible bouncing boy'."

 Griffin Park: A view during the Capital One Cup First Round match between Brentford and Oxford United
Image: Brentford beat Nottingham Forest with a 96th-minute winner at Griffin Park on Saturday

Ted, who says he wants to play for Brentford when he grows up, told Sky Sports News HQ: "I was really excited because we scored a last minute winner, and met Ryan Woods.

"We were just about to cross the road and I thought someone said 'go', so I went.

"I feel okay. I've been at home playing Arsenal v Tottenham on FIFA. I'm really excited about going to the training ground and meeting the players, especially Harlee. I want to say thank you."

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "A car hit a child pedestrian on the corner of Braemar Road and Ealing Road near to Brentford's ground on Saturday at 5.27pm.

"The child was taken to a west London hospital for treatment. No arrest was made." 

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