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@DFP
Bikes like that halfords exile will be quite heavy. For a kid bikes are more fun if they are light enough to chuck around. Ive had experiences with some of these kids trick bikes and they often weight as much as an adults bike due to very heavy scaffold like tubing.
I think both customers and manufacturers forget just how 'flimsy' you can make a kids bike and it will still be plenty durable. If you look at some pro-level bmx race bikes from the 80's you will notice skinny butted tubes, wafer thin dropouts n such. Bikes like this are a blast to ride. These modern overbuilt bikes are clumsy and annoying.
Like Miro_0 said, at least check out some modern BMX race bikes. Aluminium ones. They will be light and nippy, durable and fun to tear around the neighbourhood on. You can get ones in more compact dimensions (shorter TT's etc) to suit smaller kids and XL sizes to suit adults.
If the bike is more for longer rides with the family, a 24" MTB might have better geometry though. BMX's are designed to sprint around on standing up, not long rides in the saddle. There are plenty of 24" fully rigid MTB bikes from the 90's you could pick up for nowt. Upgrade the parts and you can have something great.