A Writtle family have described how they survived a fatal holiday coach crash on a snow-covered German motorway.

Fifty-two-year-old Steven Williams broke seven ribs, his wife Janet, 42, suffered minor cuts and bruises while their sons Martin, nine and James, eight, were uninjured when the vehicle toppled over throwing passengers through shattered windows.

"For us it's a miracle, but we feel very sad for coach hostess Rose Nolan who was killed. She was lovely lady and brought along sweets for all the children," said Mrs Williams, who is staying with her sons with a cousin from Mannheim.

The family from Ongar Road, were travelling to an Austrian ski resort, where they have holidayed for the past seven years, when the Watford-based Cantabrica coach crashed near the Rhine on Saturday morning.

Travel hostess Rose Nolan, 52, from Leicestershire, died and three passengers are in intensive care at Ludwigshaven hospitals.

Mr Williams, whose seat belt apparently failed, was flung from his seat landing on top of the luggage compartment above his wife, fracturing his ribs.

His wife, who remained strapped in, received relatively minor facial injuries. Both their sons were unharmed.

Mrs Williams said: "The coach was bouncing from side to side, as if colliding with barriers on each side of the road, and then went over.

"James escaped injury, protected by my body, and, after blacking out briefly I realised that Martin was suspended over our heads by his seat belt."

She continued: "It's a miracle so many people survived. Half the coach party were fit enough to continue on their holiday to the ski resort."

Eastern Fire Extinguishers boss Mr Williams, speaking from his hospital bed, said: "I was just dozing when it happened. All of a sudden it started swerving and there were some shouting from the front and then we started tipped over on our side and went right over.

"All I remember after that is standing upright and everything was in a mess inside and people were moaning and groaning, it was pretty horrific."

Published Friday February 25, 2005

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