Bus driver and 14-year-old girl dead after school bus crash

Eight other children were taken to hospital

Two pupils were taken to Alder Hey children’s hospital with “serious injuries” and eight others were taken to other hospitals after the collision on the M53 in Cheshire shortly before 8.30am. Other children on the bus, which was carrying 54 people, were treated at the scene, police announced at a press conference this afternoon.

The driver of the bus and a 14-year-old girl died, chief superintendent Graeme Robson said.

Alder Hey hospital earlier declared a major incident and said it was treating a number of patients after the collision on the motorway, on the border with Merseyside.

“We will continue to support and liaise with families directly and are unable to share any further details of individual patients at this time," the hospital earlier daid.

“Our emergency department is currently extremely busy. We would ask parents to only bring their children to the department if it is urgent. All other appointments and services are running as normal.”

A second hospital, Arrowe Park in Wirral, and the North West ambulance service also declared major incidents after the collision between the coach and a car.

According to a report by the Guardian, motorists said they saw schoolchildren climbing out of the smashed rear window of the overturned coach.

Two schools in Wirral – Calday Grange grammar school and West Kirby grammar school – said their bus was involved in the collision.

The ambulance service said that as of 10.30am, one female patient had been taken to hospital with “major trauma-related injuries” and there were nearly 50 other patients being assessed at the scene.

Merseyside Police advised the public to avoid the crash scene and advised there would be “significant delays.”

Calday Grange grammar school wrote on social media: “We are aware of a situation involving one of our school buses on the motorway earlier today. We’re actively gathering details and assisting affected students and their families. Support is available. If you need to talk or seek guidance, please reach out to our teaching and pastoral teams.”

National Highways said the M53 had been closed in both directions after the incident between junctions five and four towards Liverpool.

School bus overturns ‘with a number of casualties’ after M53 motorway crash