Coach carrying 42 primary school children crashes into ditch and overturns on A10

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/coach-carrying-42-primary-school-children-crashes-into-ditch-and-overturns-on-a10-9621306.html

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A coach carrying 42 primary school children has overturned on the A10 in Norfolk.

None of the children were harmed, though the driver had to be cut free and was taken to a King’s Lynn hospital with back injuries.

One of the children was also taken to hospital as a precaution, the East of England Ambulance Service said, as a result of a pre-existing medical condition.

Emergency teams were called at 11am to reports of a coach crashing into a ditch and overturning at Hilgay while on a day trip to the Norfolk coast.

The schoolchildren, all of whom were wearing seatbelts, are understood to be from the William Westley Primary School in Whittlesford.

The children, five teachers and a parent were able to leave the coach immediately, police said, with a number of them treated for shock at the scene.

The road was closed in both directions as investigations got underway. No other vehicles were involved.

The children and adults, who are believed to have been in one of three coaches on the trip, are expected to return to the school shortly.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council said: “The bus which ended up in the ditch was one of three travelling in convoy so the children simply got on to the other two buses and are being taken back to the school. All of them are unhurt,” the Wisbech Standard reports.

“Arrangements will be made to inform parents of the next steps but it’s unclear at the moment whether children will be sent home.”

Paramedics said that three ambulances and an air ambulance were sent to the scene, while fire engines were also deployed.

Appliances from Downham, Outwell,Kings Lynn &Thetford attended an rtc on the A10 involving a coach carrying passengers.

Terry Hicks, who attended the incident on behalf of the East of England Ambulance Service, said: “Everyone was very calm and the children were a credit to both their parents and their teachers, and all of the emergency services worked well together at the scene to deal with the incident as quickly and smoothly as possible.

“Fortunately we believe those on board were wearing seatbelts, otherwise this incident could have been a lot worse.”