Colchester residents in tears after school coach crash

Motorists have described the moment they drove past the scene of a major incident in Colchester yesterday.

The drivers were confronted with the “awful sight” of a coach which had hit a tree after mounting the Spring Lane roundabout.

The vehicle’s passengers were shaken-up young students from Colchester County High School for Girls.

Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

READ MORE: Colchester school children and coach driver taken to hospital after crash

Eyewitnesses, who were left upset by the scene, have now shared first-person accounts of what they saw with the Gazette.

Stacey Rachel said: “It was an awful sight. I really hope all the children and the driver are OK.

“It made me cry just driving past - God knows how they all feel.”

Jody Irwin was also moved emotionally after seeing the site of the crash.

She said: “I saw this on my way to work and it made me feel sick - I hope everyone is OK.”

Pia Summers pulled over to call the emergency services after witnessing the incident.

She said: “Parts of the tree fell on my car - I could hear the crying. I hope the driver will be OK.”

For Stevie Close, the severity of the situation was captured by the volume of emergency services in attendance.

He added: “It looked so bad, there were kids laying down on the roundabout with tin foil sheets on them.

“It looked scary.

“I have never seen so many emergency services in one place.”

Nigel Butfield also noticed some of the damage caused to the coach as he drove through the area.

He added: “All the kids were out and a few were laying down.

“There was a helicopter on scene, as well as multiple ambulances and an ambulance command unit.

“The windscreen was completely caved in.”

The crash happened on the A12 access road to Spring Lane and Cymbeline Way at 8.50am yesterday.

Police, paramedics, and two air ambulances attended the scene following reports of a two-vehicle crash involving a coach.

Fire crews from Colchester, Wivenhoe and Chelmsford were also called into action to help make the area safe.

Following the crash the driver of the coach, who sustained serious injuries, was taken to hospital, alongside five of the school’s students.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said:"We were called to a road traffic collision involving a coach on the access road to Spring Lane and Cymbeline Way in Colchester.

“Four ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, the Hazardous Area Response Team, the tactical and operational commanders and two Essex and Herts Air Ambulances were sent to the scene.

“The driver of the coach was transported to Colchester Hospital with chest and foot injuries.

“Five children were also conveyed to Colchester Hospital with minor injuries. “40 children were transported by minibus back to the school where they had a further precautionary assessment by paramedics from EEAST."