Child killed in Minehead school bus crash was 10-year-old boy, police confirm

A schoolchild killed in the horror coach crash in Minehead yesterday was a 10-year-old boy, police have confirmed.

Six children and three adults remain in hospital after a bus carrying students and adults back to Minehead Middle School crashed. Two children were taken to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children by air ambulance following the incident, while four other children and three adults remain in hospital in Somerset, Avon and Somerset Police said. Formal identification processes have not yet been completed, but a specially trained officer is supporting their next of kin.

Emergency services were called to the A396 at Cutcombe Hill, between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at around 3pm on Thursday. The bus left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20 feet from the roadway, down a steep slope.

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Around 70 people were believed to have been on the bus when it crashed, and emergency services took hours to rescue everyone from the collision. Recovery of the vehicle and collision investigation are complex, and police expect the road to remain closed for a considerable time.

Teams from Avon and Somerset Police, Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service and South Western Ambulance Service were all involved at the scene, supported by the National Police Air Service helicopter, as well as Devon Air Ambulance, and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Chief Superintendent Mark Edgington said: "On behalf of the emergency services I would like to thank the 24 volunteers from Exmoor Search and Rescue who carried out first aid triage at the rest centre and have rope and search skills.

"I also pass on thanks to the staff of the Rest and Be Thankful pub at Wheddon Cross, which opened its doors as the rest centre. Of course, we also recognise the efforts of Minehead Middle School, for keeping parents and carers informed and providing support to the school community during what is a difficult and distressing time for them all."

Mr Edgington appealed for witnesses to the collision to come forward. He added: "Please avoid speculating about the circumstances on social media, to prevent additional distress for the children, their families, the school community, staff and the driver, who are all deeply affected by what’s happened.

"Our thoughts go out to all those involved, their families, friends and colleagues."

Heartbreaking pictures today showed locals and young students laying flowers outside the school. A boy, named Jayden, who was on the bus when it crashed and flipped recalled what happened after the tragic incident.

Jayden, who was left with a suspected broken collar bone told the BBC: "I just remember climbing up the hill to get back on the road." His mum said she became frantic when Jayden didn't arrive at his gran's house at 4pm, and said: "I'm just so grateful to have my baby home."

A hero off-duty firefighter, who was driving behind the coach when it crashed, told locals he did not think the bus was speeding at the time. When the coach flipped onto it's roof and slid down into a ravine, he and an ex-marine, whose daughter was in the first coach which didn't crash, were some of the first on the scene helping staff and pupils get to safety.

A villager said: "The off-duty firefighter saw it happen and he didn't think the guy was driving too fast. He just seemed to go off the road." When the crash happened the firefighter "jumped down and went and helped and did what he could", the villager added.