Three killed in school bus crash

THREE people died and four were fighting for their lives last night in northern England after a school bus was involved in a pile-up with a car and a minibus.

Among the dead was the driver of a grey Honda Civic, which is understood to have hit the coach carrying around 30 children.

Police said the other two victims were aboard the coach. They were not able to say if those who died on the coach were children.

Thirty-five others were injured in the crash, which happened just before 3.47pm on the A66 near Keswick in Cumbria.

The bus was carrying children from Keswick High School to their homes in Cockermouth, around 20km away.

Barry Pickthall, who runs coach firm JB Pickthall, said the 49-seater involved was from his company and had around 30 pupils on board.

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Police said: “At this time, and based on very early information from the scene, it is believed that there have been three fatalities, four people are in a critical condition, and around 35 are walking wounded.”

Brian Lewis, who lives near the scene of the crash, said the school bus had swerved to avoid a car before the collision.

Dorothy Roper said she could see the crash from her home. “I think a car pulled out of an entrance on to the main road and it must have hit the bus.

“The bus was then knocked on to its side. There was a big bang when it happened.”

Serious casualties were airlifted to Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Preston.