One child dead after coach crashes on way back from school trip
One child has died and several people are being treated in hospital for serious injuries after a coach returning from a school trip to Exmoor Zoo slid down a 20ft bank in Somerset.
The coach was travelling back from the Devon zoo to nearby Minehead Middle School in Somerset with approximately 60 to 70 passengers on board when it left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill.
Staff and pupils were among 21 people taken to hospital for treatment, including several who suffered serious injuries.
The driver of the coach is in a stable condition but with a number of injuries.
The road remained shut overnight, Avon and Somerset Police said.
Floral tributes were being left outside Minehead Middle School on Friday morning.
Staff and students from the nearby Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe had left a condolence card with a bunch of flowers.
The card said: “Our thoughts are with all the children, parents, staff and transport.”
Minehead Middle School, which caters for pupils aged between nine and 14, and is five days away from the end of term, remained closed on Friday.
One of the school’s teachers posted on Facebook: “My amazing students, I couldn’t be prouder of all of you, how incredibly brave you have been.
“You have looked after each in what was a life-changing event, we will get through this together.
“I feel so lucky to be your teacher. I am so grateful to my wonderful colleagues during this time who were also fighting to help as many people as we could.
“My deepest condolences to all parents, carers, family and friends involved.
“Finally, thank you to the emergency services who have saved many lives and to the brilliant public who went out of their way to look after myself and most importantly the wonderful students of Minehead Middle School.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in a post on X: “A heartbreaking update on the school bus crash in Somerset.
“There are no adequate words to acknowledge the death of a child. All my thoughts are with their parents, family and friends, and all those affected.
“Thank you to the emergency workers who are responding at pace — I’m being kept up to date on this situation.”
This was a very complex and technically difficult incident for our crews to deal with, and I’m grateful for the tireless effort and actions of the crews in doing everything they could for those who were trapped and as quickly as safely as possible
An off-duty firefighter travelling behind the coach was able to start freeing passengers immediately, a press conference on Thursday evening heard.
The crash happened on the A396 at Cutcombe Hill, between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at about 3.15pm on Thursday, police said.
Gavin Ellis, of Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, said: “We were mobilised to a major incident of a coach that had overturned onto its roof and slid approximately 20ft down the embankment.
“This was a very complex and technically difficult incident for our crews to deal with, and I’m grateful for the tireless effort and actions of the crews in doing everything they could for those who were trapped and as quickly as safely as possible.”
Beacon Education Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the school, said: “It is with deep sadness and heartbreak that we confirm that a pupil from Minehead Middle School has tragically died following a road traffic incident earlier today involving a coach carrying pupils and staff returning from an educational visit.
“A number of other people have been taken to hospital, some of them with serious injuries. This includes two children who were taken to hospital by air ambulance.
I can’t believe it happened, quite honestly, it’s the biggest thing I have known to go over the slope. It’s horrendous, and I’m just so sorry for all those kids on that coach
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and all those affected by this terrible accident.
“Our entire school community are devastated by this news, and we will do everything we can to support everyone affected.”
A resident who lives near the crash scene described the incident as “horrendous”.
The resident, who asked not to be named, told the PA news agency: “The coach has gone down the slope. It’s pretty steep around here and it’s a big coach.
“There are no barriers along there or anything. We’re used to it, you don’t even notice it.
“I can’t believe it happened, quite honestly, it’s the biggest thing I have known to go over the slope.
“It’s horrendous, and I’m just so sorry for all those kids on that coach.”
Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, said the fatal school coach crash in Minehead was “tragic” and she is “heartbroken for the parents and the school and the wider family”.
Asked about the area, Ms Gilmour told BBC Breakfast: “It’s a very difficult road, very, very steep, very windy, and it’s just the nature of rural roads in my constituency, you know, Minehead famously, only has one road that takes you into it on the A39 and if you’re coming from where I live in Bampton or across the Moor, those are the roads that you have to use.”
Ms Gilmour praised the “fabulous job” the emergency services did, adding: “We’ve been told up to 20 ambulances went to the scene, three air ambulances, obviously paramedics, police, firemen, you know, just deeply grateful to our emergency services and just heartbroken for the parents and the school and the wider family.”
Local coach operator Ridlers, which owns the bus, said it had been liaising with the school and the emergency services and confirmed the 70-seater vehicle was travelling back from Exmoor Zoo.
The director of the coach firm, Peter Prior-Sankey, said: “I can confirm that the driver is himself in a stable condition in hospital, but with a number of injuries. We are in contact with his wife and family, and have offered ongoing support.”