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| Inquiry after fatal coach crash | Inquiry after fatal coach crash |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Investigators are at the scene of a crash where a coach careered down an embankment, killing a 26-year-old Polish man and injuring 70 people. | |
| The coach collided with a car, crashed through a wall and ended up in a garden in Alton, near Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, on Monday evening. | The coach collided with a car, crashed through a wall and ended up in a garden in Alton, near Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, on Monday evening. |
| Those aboard were from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and South Africa. The bus company is based in Peterborough. | Those aboard were from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and South Africa. The bus company is based in Peterborough. |
| Two people with head injuries were flown to hospital. | Two people with head injuries were flown to hospital. |
| The passengers are believed to have been on a trip to Alton Towers and are thought to be from the east of England. | The passengers are believed to have been on a trip to Alton Towers and are thought to be from the east of England. |
| Murray MacGregor, of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said the coach driver, a man from Lincolnshire, was also seriously injured. | Murray MacGregor, of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said the coach driver, a man from Lincolnshire, was also seriously injured. |
| One woman was airlifted to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, while another man and woman were taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent, all with head injuries. | One woman was airlifted to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, while another man and woman were taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent, all with head injuries. |
| I heard this massive crash, rumble, of either crunching metal or what sounded to me initially as a thunderstorm Bradley Ford Villagers' crash fears | I heard this massive crash, rumble, of either crunching metal or what sounded to me initially as a thunderstorm Bradley Ford Villagers' crash fears |
| "Seven or so people suffered broken bones and serious cuts and 20 more had minor injuries," Mr MacGregor added. | "Seven or so people suffered broken bones and serious cuts and 20 more had minor injuries," Mr MacGregor added. |
| "For our crews and the fire service and police it was a busy, difficult operation. | "For our crews and the fire service and police it was a busy, difficult operation. |
| "The language barriers made it difficult, as did the sheer numbers." | "The language barriers made it difficult, as did the sheer numbers." |
| The vehicle involved in the crash was owned by Decker Bus, based in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. | The vehicle involved in the crash was owned by Decker Bus, based in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. |
| Ch Insp John Maddox, from Staffordshire Police, said officers were trying to establish what caused the crash. | Ch Insp John Maddox, from Staffordshire Police, said officers were trying to establish what caused the crash. |
| 'Walked wounded' | 'Walked wounded' |
| "The bus was coming down a steep hill towards the bridge at the bottom, and from what I can see at the scene, that bus has not managed to go round the bend, and has careered through a wall and down a drop into a garden. | "The bus was coming down a steep hill towards the bridge at the bottom, and from what I can see at the scene, that bus has not managed to go round the bend, and has careered through a wall and down a drop into a garden. |
| "We can't get that information from the driver as he is critically injured." | "We can't get that information from the driver as he is critically injured." |
| The coach is lying on a slope, at the bottom of a garden. Another vehicle is thought to be underneath it. | The coach is lying on a slope, at the bottom of a garden. Another vehicle is thought to be underneath it. |
| The passengers were foreign workers [BBC exclusive pic from Karen Taylor] | The passengers were foreign workers [BBC exclusive pic from Karen Taylor] |
| Bradley Ford, who lives at the nearby Alton Bridge Hotel, told BBC News he had helped with casualties. | Bradley Ford, who lives at the nearby Alton Bridge Hotel, told BBC News he had helped with casualties. |
| He said: "I heard this massive crash, rumble, of either crunching metal or what sounded to me initially as a thunderstorm as it was heavily raining before. | He said: "I heard this massive crash, rumble, of either crunching metal or what sounded to me initially as a thunderstorm as it was heavily raining before. |
| "When I got to the scene there was a bus overturned, it looked like it had ploughed into a car and then down a neighbour's driveway into the garden. | "When I got to the scene there was a bus overturned, it looked like it had ploughed into a car and then down a neighbour's driveway into the garden. |
| "There were many walking wounded, all being seen to by the ambulance staff." | "There were many walking wounded, all being seen to by the ambulance staff." |
| The collision happened on Station Road, between Alton and the theme park, which is about a mile away. | The collision happened on Station Road, between Alton and the theme park, which is about a mile away. |
| Margaret Grice, who lives near the scene, said some of the injured banged on her front door. | Margaret Grice, who lives near the scene, said some of the injured banged on her front door. |
| She said: "I went to the front door and there was... there was about 12 to 15 people, all crying hysterically, blood running down their faces and their arms and... they couldn't speak English but they were able to say 'accident, accident' so at that point I then rang 999." | She said: "I went to the front door and there was... there was about 12 to 15 people, all crying hysterically, blood running down their faces and their arms and... they couldn't speak English but they were able to say 'accident, accident' so at that point I then rang 999." |
| Did you see the crash? Send us your eyewitness accounts using the form below. | Did you see the crash? Send us your eyewitness accounts using the form below. |