Police chief’s voice breaks as he confirms schoolgirl and driver dead in M53 horror crash

A schoolgirl and driver were killed after a school bus flipped on the motorway, police say.Source: PA

Transcript

00:00 Sadly, I can confirm that the driver and a 14-year-old schoolgirl have died.

00:05 Emergency services were called to report of an overturned bus on the M53

00:10 just after 8 o'clock this morning.

00:12 We can confirm that the bus was a school bus

00:15 taking pupils to West Kirby and Calderie Grammar Schools on the Willow.

00:20 We understand there were 54 people, including the driver, on the bus.

00:24 Sadly, I can confirm that the driver and a 14-year-old schoolgirl have died.

00:29 Two children were taken from the scene to Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

00:34 Fifty of the children were taken to an emergency training centre

00:37 where they were medically assessed, and eight of those children

00:40 have been taken to the Countess of Chester and Arrow Park Hospitals.

00:44 Our thoughts and condolences are very much with their families and friends at this tragic time.

00:50 Family liaison officers are providing specialist support to both families

00:54 and we are working with the schools, Willow Council and Cheshire West Council

00:58 to ensure the necessary trauma support is in place for the children on the bus.

01:03 We also know that other children from both schools were on buses travelling in convoy

01:08 with the bus involved in the incident, and they witnessed the incident

01:12 and they too will be provided with specialist trauma support.

01:15 Fifty children were transported to a casualty clearing centre

01:19 at the emergency service training centre in Wallasey.

01:23 Of those fifty, 39 have now been discharged.

01:27 The remainder have been taken to hospital for further treatment.