A TODDLER died after a van reversed over her in the street.

Little Poppy Boothroyd, just 21-months-old, was being cared for by a friend of her mum.

The tragedy happened in St James Way, a cul-de-sac of modern town houses, in Rawthorpe on Wednesday afternoon.

The friend, Jessica McDonagh, was believed to be taking Poppy to a local shop when the little girl wandered into the road.

A Ford Transit BT van was reversing in the cul-de-sac and the driver failed to see the little girl.

Neighbours in the close-knit cul-de-sac community heard screams and came running to help.

Emergency services were called at 2.24pm.

Poppy lived with her mum Melissa McKay in Almondbury. Her dad Jordan Boothroyd, is from Castle Hill.

In a statement, released through the police, Poppy’s family said: “Poppy was just Poppy. She was our amazing little girl, our perfect little angel.

“We are all heartbroken that she has been taken from us in such tragic circumstances.

“She was a little star and we will never forget her.”

A relative of Jessica, who asked not to be named, said: “It all happened so fast.

“Jessica had Poppy for the day and was taking her to the shop and the park.

“As they came out she took her eye off her for a moment. It’s just terrible.”

Neighbour Lynn Marie Richardson, 41, who carried out CPR on Poppy, said: “It was just an absolute tragedy. There was nothing we could do.”

Lynn told how the BT engineer had just left her home when she heard screaming from outside.

“I saw the baby on the floor and everybody was screaming,” she said.

“I knelt down and tried to work on her.

“We called an ambulance and it seemed to take ages.

“The ambulanceman gave her oxygen and I did CPR. Then they picked her up and took her into the ambulance.”

Another neighbour, Patricia McKay, said: “Everybody was screaming and panicking but Lynn was so calm.”

Lynn shrugged off her heroics and said: “Everything was chaos but I did what had to be done. It’s just horrendous.”

Lynn said she felt for the BT engineer, who was also left distraught.

“He had just been to my house and seemed a lovely guy. He was reversing back and knew what had happened straightaway.”

Poppy was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The tragedy has touched everyone in the cul-de-sac, which is next to St James Church and Parish Centre.

Neighbours have left teddy bears and flowers at the scene and Patricia’s teenage sons Oliver, 16, Joshua and Matthew, both 15, and Oskar, 14, all wanted to leave tributes.

“It’s just terrible,” she said.

Lewis Jackson, 22, who has a two-year-old son also called Lewis, knows Poppy’s mum Melissa from school.

“I can’t imagine what they are going through,” he said.

“I know what it’s like with Lewis. Take your eyes off them for a second and they are gone.”

Police said inquiries were continuing.