THE heartbroken father of a ten-year-old schoolgirl hit by a double-decker bus has said he is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for his daughter.

John Norman, 45, told the Guardian the many comforting letters and notes he has received have kept him going as his daughter, Ronni - a pupil at Hereward Primary School - remains on a life-support machine in Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, following the accident which happened in Chester Road, in Loughton, last Thursday afternoon.

He said: "We've been inundated with cards at the hospital, and the school have set aside a room full of cards and teddies. It's a great help to us. It's good to know that everyone is praying for her.

"I'd like to thank all the people who helped at the scene of the accident, and all the wellwishers."

Mr Norman has joined the calls for greater road safety measures on Chester Road where he lives and where his daughter was struck.

He said: "She was coming back from school. That's the heartbreaking bit - it was just yards from her doorstep.

"She's 11 next month and she had just started coming home on her own. She had to cross that road somewhere. Theres a bus stop right outside the house. She saw the bus was stationary so she kept checking right, but it must have started off.

"Even if the worst comes to the worst I hope something can come out of it. We need traffic islands or even lower speed limits. I think the buses should come down at a slower speed.

"I drive for a living all around London and there's safety measures everywhere there. Living round here we've got nothing. For the length of Chester Road to Debden Lane it's about three-quarters of a mile and there's one traffic island."

This weekend will be a crucial time for Ronni with doctors having told Mr Norman that is when they will attempt to wake her for the first time since the accident.

Mr Norman said: "It's been very stressful. Today's is the first good news we've had. Before they said she might never wake up but they like to give you the worst case scenario. We're optimistic."