NO CHARGES are to be brought over a fatal bus crash near Alton Towers.

Polish fruit-picker Piotr Wolksi, aged 26, died and four people were seriously injured after a coach carrying foreign workers, who had been on a day out at the theme park, plunged down an embankment.

Examination and testing of the coach's mechanics, including its braking system, was carried out by experts from the UK and abroad.

And although it was revealed there was a brake fault, there was not enough evidence to charge anyone with a criminal offence.

The 62-year-old coach driver, who was critically injured, was interviewed, along with the owners of the coach company in Cambridgeshire and 69 passengers.

North Staffordshire coroner Ian Smith will now carry out an inquest into the death of Mr Wolski, who suffered a head injury and died at the scene, in August 2008.

The coach was on its way back to Peterborough when the crash happened.

Inspector Neil Sherratt, below, neighbourhood policing commander for the Cheadle area, which includes Alton, said the £30,000 inquiry had been "painstaking".

He said: "We owed it to Mr Wolski's family, the survivors of the crash and the community of Alton to carry out as thorough an investigation as possible into the tragic events of August 18, 2008.

"Detectives from our Major Investigation Department led the inquiry, which focused on painstaking forensic examination and testing of the coach's mechanics, including its braking system.

"They were assisted by various specialist experts and agencies including VOSA, the Health and Safety Executive and the Office of the Traffic Commissioner. The coach driver, who was also injured in the collision, was interviewed along with all 69 surviving passengers and the owners of the coach company in Cambridgeshire.

"A comprehensive file was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone in relation to the crash and the death of Mr Wolski.

"The CPS acknowledged the depth of our inquiry and that it explored every possible investigative avenue. All of the evidence gathered by our officers will now be passed to Her Majesty's Coroner who will carry out an inquest.

"Our sympathies remain with Mr Wolski's family, who live in Poland. They have been updated about the investigation's progress throughout and informed of this latest development."

Inspector Sherratt praised Alton residents and staff from Alton Towers, who were among the first at the scene.