UPDATED: A child who was reportedly hit by a car while attempting to cross a rural road after exiting a bus in Bees Creek yesterday afternoon remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition, officials say.

Police said they received a report around 3pm that the child had been struck by the car on Bees Creek Road near the McAulay Road intersection and attended the scene with St John Ambulance where they still were late last evening.

On Wednesday afternoon, police were calling for anyone who witnessed the incident or who has dash cam footage of a blue Ford Falcon sedan or a passenger bus travelling along Bees Creek Road around 3pm Tuesday to get in touch with them.

The child was taken to hospital with serious head injuries, police said.

“Police and St John Ambulance attended and the child was treated at the scene before being taken to Royal Darwin Hospital with serious head injuries,” a statement from police said last night.

“The driver of the bus and the vehicle involved in the crash both stopped and are assisting police with the investigation.”

St John Ambulance NT operations manager Craig Garraway said the eight-year-old was put in an induced coma.

“This was a real serious one,” he said on Wednesday morning. “He appears to have got off a bus on Bees Creek Road and has run infant of the bus into an oncoming car.

“Obviously a horrible thing for the families involved, including the person that was in that car.”

Mr Garraway said the boy seemed to be “doing very well in the intensive care unit”, but remained in a critical condition.

Police said any footage of the car or bus in the area near the time of the incident would help with the investigation.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident is urged to contact police on 131 444,” police said. “Quote reference number 10194747.”