THE parents of a teenage paperboy who died after being knocked off his bike are backing a safety awareness campaign.

Declan Newsome, 15, of Trinity Street, Mirfield, was delivering papers in Upper Hopton last July when the accident happened.

Declan was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but died three weeks later.

Now his parents Kenneth and Harriet are backing a campaign to ensure newsagents are aware of their responsibilities for the safety of paperboys and girls.

A campaign is set to be launched by local councillor Vivien Lees-Hamilton, backed by Mirfield Town Council.

Clr Lees-Hamilton said under child protection regulations, anyone employing children under 16 had to carry out a risk assessment and she wanted to make all newsagents aware.

A special meeting will be called by the Town Council.

Mr Newsome, 69, welcomed the campaign and said: “The dangers and pitfalls for paperboys and girls is something you don’t think about.

“It doesn’t seem important until something happens you. “It is vital that newsagents are aware of their responsibilities.”

Declan, a school prefect at Castle Hall Academy, Mirfield, had been delivering papers for a couple of months before his death and loved his job.

His round took in the steep, narrow and winding Hopton Lane. He was struck by a Suzuki car near the junction with Hopton Avenue at 7.35am.

An inquest into Declan’s death is due to be held at Bradford on Friday.

Mr Newsome said he did not blame the newsagent Declan worked for and added: “We just want to prevent other parents going through what we have gone through.

“Declan was a most intelligent young man and very safety conscious.

“His mind would have been on getting home safely but whatever happened has happened and we have to live with that.

“We cannot change the past but we can change the future.”

Mr Newsome said newsagents should check out delivery routes and explain the potential dangers to the children and their parents.

Mr Newsome, who has two other sons and three daughters, paid tribute to Declan and said: “He was a lovely young man who always had a smile on his face. He loved his job and was always polite and had time to talk to people.

“It seems like only yesterday that we lost him. The cut is still very sore.”

Kirklees Council issues employers with work permits under the Children and Young Person Act.

The authority requires employers to carry out a risk assessment and discuss it with a child’s parent or guardian.

The National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN) welcomed the campaign.

A spokesman said: “The safety of news deliverers is of huge importance to our members so we welcome any initiatives that raise awareness.

“To keep youngsters safe while out on their rounds and to ensure that our 16,000 members have all the information and advice they need to comply with legislation surrounding the employment of paperboys and girls we have produced a guide Delivering Newspapers Safely and an accompanying video which members can access from our website.

“Key areas include advice on ensuring that risk assessments are completed and that appropriate equipment is used and maintained.”