A coach full of schoolchildren escaped uninjured from a crash in which a 17-year-old motorcyclist died.
The bus from Amber Coaches, based in Rawreth Lane, Rayleigh, was involved in a smash with the teenager's motorbike and a small Vauxhall Combo style van on Friday afternoon in Purleigh, near Maldon.
Motorcyclist Robert Hobden, of Coombe Road, Southminster, an Army cadet, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the coach, Robin Brown, 38, of Benfleet, was uninjured in the smash. He was driving home 50 pupils from the Chelmsford County High and King Edward VI grammar schools in Chelmsford.
Police are appealing for witnesses and want to trace the van driver.
A spokesman for Essex County Council's education department praised the coach company. He said: "Their vehicle was not damaged and pupils were not injured but the coach company sent out another bus to take the children home and made sure they were all right."
A spokesman from Amber Coaches did not want to comment on the incident.
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