A bus driver and a 14-year-old schoolgirl have died in a motorway crash involving a school coach near Hooton in Cheshire. 

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A number of children were taken to local hospitals following the accident this morning, with two of them said to be in a serious condition.

The coach was taking pupils to West Kirby girls grammar school and Calday Grange boys grammar.
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It was just after 8 o'clock this morning when the emergency services were contacted.

Merseyside police later said they'd received a report that a bus had struck a reservation on the motorway and that no other vehicle had been involved.

At the time there were 54 people on board, mostly school children, some of whom reportedly clambered out of the back window, below which pools of broken glass now litter the road.

The accident happened near Hooton in Cheshire, on a northbound section of the M53 close to junction 5.

The bus was travelling in a convoy of other buses, taking children to 2 schools on the Wirral, West Kirby and Caldegrange Grammars.

Following reports of a crash involving a coach this morning, we declared a major incident.

This was due to the potential number of casualties involved.

As a result, we sent a substantial number of ambulances, senior clinicians and our hazardous area response teams.

A critical care doctor was also dispatched to the scene.

Tragically, we can confirm that there were 2 fatalities as a result of this crash.

1 was the driver of the bus, the other who died, a 14-year-old girl.

Of those injured, 2 were said to be in a serious condition.

2 children were taken from the scene to Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

50 other children were taken to an emergency training centre where they were medically assessed and 8 of those children have been taken to the Countess of Chester and Arrow Park hospitals.

Specialist support said the police was being provided to the families involved, to the children who were on the bus and to others who saw it all unfold.

We also know that other children from both schools were on buses travelling in convoy with the bus involved in the incidents and they witnessed the incidents and they too will be provided with specialist trauma support.

Wirral Council said it was working closely with the schools affected.

Schools described by the council's leader today as very close-knit communities for whom, he added, today's events will be devastating.


Speaker 0: It was just after 8 o'clock this morning when the emergency services were contacted. Merseyside police later said they'd received a report that a bus had struck a reservation on the motorway and that no other vehicle had been involved. At the time there were 54 people on board, mostly school children, some of whom reportedly clambered out of the back window, below which pools of broken glass now litter the road. The accident happened near Hooton in Cheshire, on a northbound section of the M53 close to junction 5. The bus was travelling in a convoy of other buses, taking children to 2 schools on the Wirral, West Kirby and Caldegrange Grammars.

Speaker 1: Following reports of a crash involving a coach this morning, we declared a major incident. This was due to the potential number of casualties involved. As a result, we sent a substantial number of ambulances, senior clinicians and our hazardous area response teams. A critical care doctor was also dispatched to the scene. Tragically, we can confirm that there were 2 fatalities as a result of this crash.

Speaker 0: 1 was the driver of the bus, the other who died, a 14-year-old girl. Of those injured, 2 were said to be in a serious condition.

Speaker 2: 2 children were taken from the scene to Alder Hey Children's Hospital. 50 other children were taken to an emergency training centre where they were medically assessed and 8 of those children have been taken to the Countess of Chester and Arrow Park hospitals.

Speaker 0: Specialist support said the police was being provided to the families involved, to the children who were on the bus and to others who saw it all unfold.

Speaker 2: We also know that other children from both schools were on buses travelling in convoy with the bus involved in the incidents and they witnessed the incidents and they too will be provided with specialist trauma support.

Speaker 0: Wirral Council said it was working closely with the schools affected. Schools described by the council's leader today as very close-knit communities for whom, he added, today's events will be devastating. You

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School bus crash: 14-year-old old and driver killed