Pupils tell of pile-up horror on motorway
8:50am Tuesday 21st June 2011 in News
PUPILS have spoken of the horrifying moment their dream school trip turned into a nightmare when their coach was involved in a motorway pile-up that left 50 people injured.
Two coaches carrying about 80 Year Five and Year Six pupils from Masefield Primary School in Little Lever, and Blackshaw Primary School in Breightmet, crashed into each other at 3.10pm during the terrifying collision on the M62 yesterday.
Police, firefighters and 30 ambulance vehicles, including the Hazardous Area Response Team, were called to the crash. One coach driver suffered a suspected broken leg and 22 children from the two schools were taken to Salford Royal Hospital and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital with whiplash and minor injuries.
The coaches were bringing children — 49 from Blackshaw and 30 from Masefield — home from a four-day trip to PGL, an outdoor pursuits camp based at Boreatton Park, Shropshire.
Masefield Primary School pupil Philip Bamber, aged 11, pictured below, said: “The coach driver broke his leg and had a cut on his head but he was still helping everyone get off the coach.”
Philip was praised by fellow pupils for walking up and down the coach trying to keep everyone calm.
The children were trapped for 10 minutes. A glass window in the roof of the coach smashed and fell on to the floor, narrowly avoiding them.
One mum, Christina Riley, aged 38, from Little Lever, said: “It was hell not knowing what was going on. It was the worst hour of my life.” Her daughter, Cecilia Psaila, aged 11, said: “My friend had cut her head and everyone was screaming. It was very scary.”
Worried parents rushed to the school to be told about the crash. Children were taken from both coaches to behind safety barriers on the eastbound carriageway of the M62, near Junction 12 at Eccles. More than half the casualties were treated at the scene. Two van drivers were taken to hospital with leg injuries. Two lanes of the M62 were reopened at 7.30pm.
