A four-year-old boy is fighting for his life after he was knocked down by a car at St John's well on the Commons Road in Cork this afternoon.

The boy is understood to have been running away from a wasp at the time of the accident.

The critically ill child was dragged along the road for up to 50 yards and was trapped under the car for a time before emergency services removed him to Cork University Hospital.

Gardaí in Gurranabraher are appealing for witnesses.