A 12-year-old skateboarder is in a coma after falling behind a car driven by his father in Sydney’s inner west.

Police say the boy and his friends were on skateboards and holding onto the back of a moving car at Marrickville, when he fell and hit his head on the road last night.

The boy is in a critical condition in hospital, with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

Inspector Darren Smith says the boy’s father was driving the car and will speak to investigators about the crash today.

“It’s a relatively quiet street in Marrickville but speeds are unknown at this stage,” he said.

“Still, witnesses have got to be interviewed and canvassed in the area and Marrickville detectives will be doing that today.”