THE seven-year-old boy from Monmouth who was hit by a minibus on the A466 Hereford Road north of the town last week, died of a head injury, an inquest hearing was told.

Samuel Barker, a pupil at Osbaston Primary School, died at the scene of the crash, on the afternoon of Monday January 13.

Senior coroner for Gwent Caroline Saunders, opening the inquest, was told that Samuel, who had been returning home from school with his brother, sustained catastrophic injuries.

In a tribute released shortly after Samuel's death, his family said he was a "happy active child who loved toy cars, climbing trees, the great outdoors and especially skiing and ski lifts".

He would, they said, be "greatly missed by his school friends, his church family, and most of all by his two adoring brothers, [his] Mum and Dad, and very loving wider family".

Ms Saunders adjourned the inquest until the summer.