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| Inquiry after fatal coach crash | Inquiry after fatal coach crash |
| (20 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 71 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, thought to be fruit and strawberry growers based at Lutton Farm in Oundle, Northamptonshire, were on a trip to Alton Towers . | The passengers, thought to be fruit and strawberry growers based at Lutton Farm in Oundle, Northamptonshire, were on a trip to Alton Towers . |
| 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 |
| The driver, from the Peterborough area, suffered serious leg injuries and is critically ill. | |
| Police said he provided a negative breath test. | |
| Station Road remains closed while crash investigators do their work although Alton Towers is open as normal. | |
| A police spokesman said the bus was so badly damaged it was difficult to determine its make and model but it was a type that had raised seating at the back. | |
| The crash has caused villagers to repeat calls for a bypass to take away traffic heading to and from the theme park away from Alton. | The crash has caused villagers to repeat calls for a bypass to take away traffic heading to and from the theme park away from Alton. |
| But Russell Barnes, the park's regional director, said he was "disappointed" the point had been raised. | But Russell Barnes, the park's regional director, said he was "disappointed" the point had been raised. |
| "While I have been at Alton Towers we have had an open dialogue about where we are with an eastern access road and I made a commitment at the beginning of the year that we would return to them in January with a definitive answer." | "While I have been at Alton Towers we have had an open dialogue about where we are with an eastern access road and I made a commitment at the beginning of the year that we would return to them in January with a definitive answer." |
| He added the accident records on the roads were no worse than other rural roads in England. | He added the accident records on the roads were no worse than other rural roads in 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. |
| "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. |
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| Police and witnesses describe the scene they found | |
| "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. |
| 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." |