Latest news with #OliverPrice
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Parents of boy who died in school coach crash pay tribute to community
The parents of a young boy who was killed in a coach crash while returning from a school trip have thanked their community for its help. Oliver Price, 10, died after the bus he was travelling in overturned on the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead and slid down a 20ft slope on July 17. The bus was carrying 60 to 70 pupils and staff who were returning to Minehead Middle School after a trip to Exmoor Zoo days before the end of term. Oliver's parents, Lucy and Matthew, released a public statement through Avon and Somerset Police thanking their community for its 'incredible response' following the collision. They said: 'As Oliver's parents we have seen first-hand the incredible response from the community after the awful collision earlier this month. 'We are so very grateful to all the many emergency service workers who responded initially and those who continue to provide support in the aftermath, through the police investigation and the hospital teams who continue to look after those who were injured.' Oliver's parents also thanked staff at a nearby pub who opened it up to those injured in the crash as a safe hub. They said: 'We would also like to thank the team at the Rest and Be Thankful pub in Wheddon Cross for opening their doors to everyone that afternoon, without a moment's hesitation, and for making sure everyone was well looked after and providing a meeting place for parents.' They sent best wishes to the teachers and pupils who were injured, of which two children and three adults remain in hospital. They said: 'We send our best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery to the other children and staff on the bus, particularly those who are still in hospital. You are all in our thoughts. 'The support we've received from our amazing community has been overwhelming. To those who left kind messages, or flowers outside the school, we want to say thank you. 'We are also grateful beyond words for all the staff and parents at the wonderful Minehead Middle School and for the love we've been shown by all our family and friends. We truly do appreciate you all. 'Finally, we would also like to pass on our thanks to the police investigation team for their support and ongoing hard work. We know this is a complex and emotive investigation but we appreciate their regular updates and continued efforts.' The inquest into Oliver's death opened at Somerset Coroner's Court last Thursday. Vanessa McKinlay, the assistant coroner for Somerset, read the evidence of identification from coroner's officer Ben Batley, which said: 'Oliver was found seated in the coach with his seat belt on. His death was confirmed by the attending paramedic. 'Oliver's provisional cause of death is head injury pending results of laboratory investigations.' The inquest is due to resume on January 14 with a one-day hearing to involve evidence from witnesses including the adult passengers on the coach, other witnesses, the coach driver, and specialist collision investigators and vehicle examiners. The headteacher of Minehead Middle School, Laura Mackie, issued a tribute to Oliver, saying the school would 'always treasure the moments we shared with him'. 'The loss of such a brilliant young life has profoundly affected everyone — students, staff, families, and the wider community,' she said in a statement on Thursday. 'We continue to keep Oliver and those closest to him firmly in our thoughts, and we are supporting our school community with great care and sensitivity as we begin to process what has happened. 'Our focus remains on caring for one another and moving forward gently, with compassion, as we begin to navigate the future together.' Around £100,000 has been raised to support those affected by the coach crash by the Somerset Community Foundation's (SCF) Together for West Somerset appeal as well as individual fundraisers.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Parents of boy, 10, killed in school Minehead coach crash thank community for 'overwhelming' support as they speak for first time since their son's death
The parents of a 10-year-old boy who died when a bus carrying school kids overturned have thanked their community for its 'overwhelming' support. Oliver Price was tragically pronounced dead at the scene after the 70-seater coach transporting pupils and teachers from Exmoor Zoo back to Minehead Middle School flipped on July 17. The bus had been travelling on the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead when it slid down a 20ft slope. Oliver was devastatingly found trapped in his seat having suffered fatal head injuries as a result, with many more children and adults being rushed to hospital. In the near-two weeks since Oliver's death, dozens of mourners in the community have laid bouquets of flowers outside his former school. Now speaking for the first time since the loss of their son, Oliver's grieving parents, Lucy and Matthew, have thanked their 'amazing community' for how they have responded to the crash that shocked the seaside town. They said: 'As Oliver's parents we have seen first-hand the incredible response from the community after the awful collision earlier this month. 'We are so very grateful to all the many emergency service workers who responded initially and those who continue to provide support in the aftermath, through the police investigation and the hospital teams who continue to look after those who were injured.' With many on the bus suffering injuries that day, Lucy and Matthew thanked staff at the Rest and Be Thankful Pub, in Wheddon Cross, who 'opened their doors to everyone without hesitation' so that people could have a safe place to meet. Figures last week revealed that two children and three adults remained in hospital after the tragedy, to whom Lucy and Matthew sent their 'best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery'. They continued: 'The support we've received from our amazing community has been overwhelming. To those who left kind messages, or flowers outside the school, we want to say thank you. 'We are also grateful beyond words for all the staff and parents at the wonderful Minehead Middle School and for the love we've been shown by all our family and friends. We truly do appreciate you all. 'Finally, we would also like to pass on our thanks to the police investigation team for their support and ongoing hard work. We know this is a complex and emotive investigation but we appreciate their regular updates and continued efforts.' The headteacher of Minehead Middle School, Laura Mackie, also issued a tribute to Oliver as she said the school would 'always treasure the moments we shared with him'. In a statement on Thursday, she added: 'The loss of such a brilliant young life has profoundly affected everyone - students, staff, families, and the wider community. 'We continue to keep Oliver and those closest to him firmly in our thoughts, and we are supporting our school community with great care and sensitivity as we begin to process what has happened. 'Our focus remains on caring for one another and moving forward gently, with compassion, as we begin to navigate the future together.' The inquest into Oliver's death opened at Somerset Coroner's Court last Thursday and is due to resume on January 14. Assistant coroner Vanessa McKinlay read evidence of identification from coroner's officer Ben Batley, which said: 'Oliver was found seated in the coach with his seat belt on. His death was confirmed by the attending paramedic. 'Oliver's provisional cause of death is head injury pending results of laboratory investigations.' The inquest will resume with a one-day hearing to involve evidence from witnesses including the adult passengers on the coach, other witnesses, the coach driver, and specialist collision investigators and vehicle examiners. Around £100,000 has been raised to support those affected by the coach crash by the Somerset Community Foundation's (SCF) Together for West Somerset appeal as well as individual fundraisers.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Parents of boy killed in Somerset coach crash thank community
The parents of a 10-year-old boy who died in a coach crash have publicly thanked the "amazing community" supporting them. Oliver Price, a pupil at Minehead Middle School in Minehead, Somerset, suffered a fatal head injury when the coach he was travelling on with his classmates left the A396 in Exmoor and slid down a 6m (20ft) slope on 17 July.A huge emergency response descended on the scene in the aftermath of the crash, with members of the public in the Wheddon Cross area quickly volunteering to support rescue and relief efforts. In a statement shared via police, Oliver's parents Lucy and Matthew said the support they had received since his death had been "overwhelming". In the days after the crash dozens of people left cards and bunches of flowers in tribute to Oliver and the other children and adults injured in the incident outside the people were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries, with two children and one adult remaining in hospital. 'So very grateful' In their statement Lucy and Matthew said they had seen "first-hand the incredible response from the community" after the "awful collision"."We are so very grateful to all the many emergency service workers who responded initially and those who continue to provide support in the aftermath, through the police investigation and the hospital teams who continue to look after those who were injured," they said. They also thanked the team at the Rest and Be Thankful pub in Wheddon Cross, which opened its doors as a rest centre during the incident - allowing paramedics to treat the injured and parents to reunite with their children. "We send our best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery to the other children and staff on the bus, particularly those who are still in hospital," they continued. "You are all in our thoughts."The support we've received from our amazing community has been overwhelming. To those who left kind messages, or flowers outside the school, we want to say thank you." The coach was on its way back to Minehead Middle School from a day trip to Exmoor, carrying up to 70 people, when it crashed. Lucy and Matthew said they were "grateful beyond words" for the staff and parents at the "wonderful" school, as well as the "love we've been shown" by family and friends. "Finally, we would also like to pass on our thanks to the police investigation team for their support and ongoing hard work," they added. "We know this is a complex and emotive investigation but we appreciate their regular updates and continued efforts."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Headlines: 'Hot air balloon excitement' and 'bomb scare'
Here's our weekly roundup of stories from across local websites in the West of have a daily round up as well. Make sure you look out for it on the website and the local section of the BBC News app. What have been the big stories in the West this week? Earlier this week, police named the 10-year-old boy who died when a coach carrying Minehead Middle School students crashed on the way back from a zoo Supt Mark Edgington, from Avon and Somerset Police, said the force's thoughts were with Oliver Price's family at this "unimaginably difficult time". A major incident was declared in Bristol as hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes in Ashton Vale. A cordon was put in place for several hours while a bomb disposal team examined the area. A man was arrested after reports he was acting suspiciously, but was later released on doctors began a five-day strike on Friday over a pay dispute with the government. Gloucestershire A&E has made major changes that will last for the duration of the is building in Bristol ahead of the International Balloon Fiesta from 8 to 10 August. Balloons have been taken to several schools on a "tether roadshow" and a fleet of balloons rose across the city in a mass ascent on Friday. Top five local stories for the BBC in the West Something longer to read Bristol Live has visited the site of the YTL Bristol Arena – which is still unfinished following years of Bristolians are sceptical as to whether the arena will ever chief executive, Andrew Billingham, told the website: "We're doing everything in our powers – we want this open as soon as we can." Explore more with our daily roundups
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Minehead school coach crash site road partially reopens
A road has partially reopened at the scene of a coach crash in which a 10-year-old child was Price died when the coach carrying Minehead Middle School pupils left the road near Wheddon Cross in Somerset, and slid down a 6m (20ft) slope on 17 children and teachers on board had been returning from an end-of-year trip to Exmoor Zoo. In total, 21 people were taken to hospital to be lane on the A396 between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe remains closed with temporary barriers in place until permanent repairs can be made. In a statement Somerset Council said there would be temporary traffic signals in place, and a 20mph speed limit until further notice.'Deep sorrow' at schoolAvon and Somerset Police has asked people not to leave flowers and tributes by the coach involved in the accident was recovered from the scene on 19 July and is now being forensically examined.
