Latest news with #WheddonCross
BBC News
4 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.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Minehead: How community responded to fatal school bus crash
People who helped respond to a fatal school coach crash a week ago have praised the community spirit they witnessed Prince, a 10-year-old boy, died when a coach carrying pupils from Minehead Middle School in Somerset left the road near the village of Wheddon Cross and slid down a 20ft (6m) Thompson from Wheddon Cross was part of a team that supported families waiting at a nearby rest centre, providing hot drinks, food and a hub where information could be shared."I have to completely praise the police, the fire service, the ambulance service, the air ambulance - they are just amazing people; Musgrove Park sent nurses out. The whole community came together to help," she said. "It was a terrible day. The poor parents and children who will always remember I think this incident. You couldn't really forget it."People in the community do love those children more than anything in the world".She added: "The impact of this coach crash has pulled the community really together." While Ms Thompson's team gave immediate support to parents and children, a team of paramedics worked alongside them, triaging young with more serious injuries were taken to Musgrove Park Hospital and the Bristol Royal Infirmary, while those with minor injuries were taken to Minehead Community Hospital."Most staff offered to stay to help," said Hannah Coleman, the service lead for community urgent care, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust."There were quite a few patients with head injuries and cuts, some of them quite deep cuts from the rolling down the hill I would imagine."The children were very traumatised, very quiet."She added: It was really not like these children, who we know because we see them all the time when they come off their bikes and when they're poorly." Since the crash a week ago, local groups have raised tens of thousands of pounds, with planned events and crowdfunding appeals, and Somerset Council has given £50,000 to a Somerset Community Foundation Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Minehead, Rachel Gilmour, has also written to the government asking for support for the families involved."It is my job to follow this up and see what I can get the government to do to help my community," she said."Somerset Community Foundation is also making sure children can get support over the summer holidays." 'Painstaking' forensics Local ward councillor, Mandy Chilcott (Cons) also says she was working towards getting in-school support for those & Somerset Police said it continued to investigate the site of the crash."The coach was recovered on Saturday 19 July and is now subject to a painstaking forensic examination by experts," read a statement."Our Serious Collision Investigation Team has examined the collision site, and specialist officers searched the area. This was challenging due to the steep slope, woodland and undergrowth.""Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Oliver Price, 10, and a dedicated family liaison officer is available to children and an adult remain in hospital.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Boy died of head injury in coach crash
A 10-year-old boy who was killed when a coach carrying schoolchildren crashed died of a head injury, an inquest has heard. Oliver Price died when a coach carrying Minehead Middle School pupils left the road near Wheddon Cross in Somerset and slid down a 6m (20ft) slope on 17 July. The children and teachers onboard had been returning from an end-of-year trip to Exmoor Zoo. In total, 21 people were taken to hospital. An inquest at Wells Coroner's Court heard earlier that Oliver had been found in his seat with his seatbelt on, and was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. The coach was carrying about 70 people when it left the A396 and overturned between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe at about 15:15 BST. A major incident was declared, with 60 firefighters sent to the scene alongside 20 double-crewed ambulances. 'Amazing' response of locals to fatal coach crash Jockey 'couldn't sleep' after school coach crash Opening the inquest into Oliver's death, coroner Vanessa McKinlay said his death was confirmed by paramedics at 17:00. "Oliver was found seated in the coach with his seat belt on," she added. "At the time of his death he was identified by his father Matthew Price to the police who were in attendance." Ms McKinlay said the provisional cause of Oliver's death was a head injury, subject to further tests. A full inquest is set to take place on 14 January next year and will look into the events of the day before the crash, the circumstances in which the coach left the road and Oliver's medical cause of death. The inquest is due to hear from Oliver's family, adult passengers on the coach, witnesses, the coach driver, emergency service workers and a pathologist. Oliver's family, the coach driver and the coach operator Ridlers have been named as interested parties in the inquest. Ms McKinley ended the hearing by offering her condolences to Oliver's family. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story More than £40k raised for school coach crash victims Head teacher speaks of devastation after boy's death in coach crash
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Boy died of head injury in Somerset coach crash, inquest told
A 10-year-old boy who was killed when a coach carrying schoolchildren crashed died of a head injury, an inquest has Price died when a 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 onboard had been returning from an end-of-year trip to Exmoor Zoo. In total, 21 people were taken to inquest at Wells Coroner's Court heard earlier that Oliver had been found in his seat with his seatbelt on, and was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. The coach was carrying about 70 people when it left the A396 and overturned between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe at about 15:15 BST. A major incident was declared, with 60 firefighters sent to the scene alongside 20 double-crewed ambulances. Opening the inquest into Oliver's death, coroner Vanessa McKinlay said his death was confirmed by paramedics at 17:00."Oliver was found seated in the coach with his seat belt on," she added."At the time of his death he was identified by his father Matthew Price to the police who were in attendance." Ms McKinlay said the provisional cause of Oliver's death was a head injury, subject to further tests. A full inquest is set to take place on 14 January next year and will look into the events of the day before the crash, the circumstances in which the coach left the road and Oliver's medical cause of death. The inquest is due to hear from Oliver's family, adult passengers on the coach, witnesses, the coach driver, emergency service workers and a family, the coach driver and the coach operator Ridlers have been named as interested parties in the inquest. Ms McKinley ended the hearing by offering her condolences to Oliver's family.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- BBC News
Somerset coach crash: Locals praised for 'amazing' response
A man who has raised £30,000 so far for victims of a fatal coach crash has said he has been "overwhelmed" by the response of the local community. Bobbie Rammond said residents had been "amazing" after a coach carrying pupils from Minehead Middle School in Somerset came off the road on 17 July, flipping onto its roof and sliding down a 20ft slope near the village of Wheddon Cross. A 10-year-old boy was killed, while two children and two adults – one of whom was the driver – remain in hospital in Bristol and community fundraisers set up in response have collectively raised more than £50,000 for the victims and their families. Minehead Middle School has reopened for the final days of term before the summer holidays – with support on hand for Rammond said that there had been a "dark cloud looming" over the area since the crash and that a strong "emotional attachment" to the local community inspired him to said he would be working with Somerset Community Foundation to help distribute the funds. Somerset Community Foundation has launched its own appeal following the crash near Wheddon Cross in said its Together for West Somerset campaign will support those experiencing psychological distress, hardship or injury as a result of the foundation's CEO, Justin Sargent, said the donations would allow it to "move really quickly" to start helping families in the coming days. The road remains closed and a police investigation into the cause of the crash is operation to remove the coach was completed on Saturday.
