This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-28841286
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
Coach crashes down ditch on M5 in Gloucestershire | Coach crashes down ditch on M5 in Gloucestershire |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A coach carrying 53 adults and children from the West Midlands on a day-trip to the seaside overturned in a ditch off the M5 in Gloucestershire. | |
The crash happened just before 10:00 BST close to junction 13 for Stroud. | The crash happened just before 10:00 BST close to junction 13 for Stroud. |
Five adults and one child were injured, a South West Ambulance Service spokesman said. All of them were said to have minor injuries. | Five adults and one child were injured, a South West Ambulance Service spokesman said. All of them were said to have minor injuries. |
Police said seatbelts on the coach may have helped reduce the number of casualties. | |
The injured child was taken to Bristol Children's Hospital, the adults to Southmead Hospital. | |
The coach driver had a suspected back injury. | The coach driver had a suspected back injury. |
The Confederation of Passenger Transport said it had been told three of the six people taken to hospital had been discharged. | |
The M5 fully reopened at about 15.30 BST, five and a half hours after the coach overturned. | |
Ch Insp Yan Georgiou from Gloucestershire Police said collision experts were investigating the circumstances. | Ch Insp Yan Georgiou from Gloucestershire Police said collision experts were investigating the circumstances. |
"What's remarkable is the number of casualties and a really important safety message is starting to emerge. | "What's remarkable is the number of casualties and a really important safety message is starting to emerge. |
"The passengers were wearing seat belts, without them this could have been a very different picture," he said. | "The passengers were wearing seat belts, without them this could have been a very different picture," he said. |
The coach was operated by Stourbridge-based Prospect Coaches and was taking the group to Weston-super-Mare. | The coach was operated by Stourbridge-based Prospect Coaches and was taking the group to Weston-super-Mare. |
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents operators of UK buses, said it understood it was one of four coaches making the same journey. | The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents operators of UK buses, said it understood it was one of four coaches making the same journey. |
Passengers were collected from a children's centre in West Bromwich at 08:30 BST. | Passengers were collected from a children's centre in West Bromwich at 08:30 BST. |
A spokesperson from the charity Action for Children, which chartered the coach, said: "I can confirm that a road accident involving children and staff from an Action for Children service in Sandwell has taken place in Stroud. | |
"Until the full facts are known I cannot comment further." | |
No other vehicles were involved in the crash. | No other vehicles were involved in the crash. |