A “wonderful” three-year-old boy with a “kind soul” has died in hospital almost a week after a crash on the M4 near Newport

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been travelling in a car on the motorway’s westbound carriageway when it was hit by a van.

The crash, which happened between junctions 28 and 29 at around 1.45pm on February 5, prompted a huge emergency services response and the road was closed for around seven hours.

Four-year-old girl Gracie-Ann Wheaton, from Tredegar, was severely injured and died the next day.

Family of the little boy said he was being treated in the intensive care unit at University Hospital of Wales, also known as the Heath Hospital, in Cardiff, but he died on Friday at 4.30pm.

A family member told the PA news agency: “Unfortunately, after a week of fighting, he has passed away.

“He was wonderful, creative and a kind soul. Turned the grey skies blue.”

A GoFundMe page set up in the aftermath of the incident has raised almost £10,000.

The Ford Transit driver, 41-year-old Martin Newman, of Croeserw, appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with causing death by dangerous driving and two offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in relation to the accident.

He has been remanded into custody pending a hearing at Newport Crown Court on February 21.

Anyone with dashcam footage of the collision, or any information that could help the investigation, is asked to call Gwent Police on 101 and quote 2200041245.