A ROAD has finally reopened after a coach crash involving 72

people.

The Peterborough-registered coach, which was carrying

migrant workers from a day trip to Alton Towers, hit two parked

cars, smashed through a wall and plunged 15 feet down an

embankment off Station Road, Alton, just before 6pm on

Monday.

Two cranes, one low-loader, a recovery van and a heavy

recovery accident unit were used to lift the coach back onto

the road at 9pm last night. Station Road was reopened shortly

before midnight

A 26-year-old Polish man died as a result of the accident.

His family has been informed and his name will be revealed as

soon as formal identification has taken place.

A 21-year-old Polish woman remains in a life-threatening

condition at The University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

The 63-year-old driver is in a critical condition in the same

hospital.

All the passengers were from Luttons Fruit Farm, in Oundle,

near Peterborough. They included 28 Poles, three Slovakians,

four Latvians, nine Bulgarians, nine Romanians, 17 Lithuanians

and a South African.

Anne Long, aged 79, who runs Luttons with her husband and

three of her four children said the farm was shocked at what

had happened.

She said: "All of the people in the coach are workers on our

farm. They had a day off to go to Alton Towers. They do this

kind of thing quite often."

Chief Inspector John Maddox, of Staffordshire Police, said:

"The variety of nationalities paints a picture of the

difficulties we encountered with language barriers.

"We would like to thank the people living near the scene and

the wider Alton community, who have shown tremendous spirit in

offering shelter and comfort to all those involved.

"Many rallied round on Monday night to help those involved

in the crash and give support to residents evacuated from their

homes, most of whom could not return until the coach was

removed."

Specialist police teams are now carrying out site

investigations.

A senior investigating officer from Staffordshire Police has

been appointed, and forensic officers are also continuing their

investigations.

Dozens of officials spent yesterday gathering evidence and

making inquiries.

In the morning police officers guarded the cordoned-off area

while members of Staffordshire Police's collision investigation

unit, forensics, and representatives from the Vehicle And

Operator Services Agency (VOSA) examined the scene and assessed

whether the bridge over the River Churnet could withstand the

weight of a vehicle recovery truck.

At around 1.30pm a team from Mansfield Recovery Service

turned up to begin its own assessments.

Terri Peachey was at home with her nine-year-old son Connor

Willis when the bus crashed into their garden. The 30-year-old

was forced to spend the night sleeping in her van in the car

park at Tesco, in Meir, along with Connor and her dad, Brian,

aged 57. They were evacuated from their home around six hours

after the accident happened.

She said: "When the coach crashed, it sounded like a bolt of

lightning.

"We were inside at the time and we looked out the window and

saw what I can only describe as a bus flying through the

air.

"It was very shocking. There were people and broken glass

everywhere. I tried to help out as much as I could by providing

blankets and just being there if I was needed."

The Peachey family was taken to a neighbour's house at

around 9pm. At midnight everyone was evacuated as a precaution

because fuel was leaking from the wrecked coach.

Miss Peachey said: "It was so late at night that we didn't

really have chance to make any proper sleeping arrangements. So

we grabbed some quilts and got in the van, and parked up at

Tesco overnight.

"The car park was well-lit, and we didn't want to be

anywhere too remote.

"Our neighbours went up the road to stay with relatives, but

we've not long been in the area so we didn't really have anyone

we could call on at that time of night.

"I've not really thought about the damage that was caused. I

know the shed was crushed by the bus, and so was our old red

truck which was parked on the driveway.

"My car was also destroyed, as that was parked on the road

next to where the bus went through the wall.

"Luckily the house wasn't touched, as we were inside at the

time. If you say, 'What if we'd been in the car, or what if

we'd been in the garden?', it could totally destroy you."

She added: "You just have to be thankful that we were all

OK, and that the majority of the people on the coach were OK –

because it could have been a lot worse."

Anne Ford, who owns Alton Bridge Hotel opposite the scene,

said: "We have lived here for 23 years and this is the first

accident of this size.

"I think there should be traffic lights or speed bumps, or

some form of traffic calming. If there had not been a shortcut

to the local primary school when my children were growing up, I

would have been terrified of walking them up the main road. It

has been a terrible tragedy. It has been horrendous.

Russell Barnes, divisional director at Alton Towers, said:

“What happened on Monday night was a tragic accident and we

would like to express our sympathy to those who were injured,

and to the family of the man who died.

“I am hugely proud of the way that Alton Towers assisted the

emergency services – it was a very harrowing situation and we

dealt with it promptly and professionally.

“Our community first responders were the first at the scene

and were able to give valuable help before the ambulance crews

arrived. 

“We were then able to transfer a number of people with minor

injuries to our staff restaurant where they were assessed by

medical personnel and received treatment. 

“Throughout the police interview process, which our

employees were able to translate into various European

languages, we provided refreshment and perhaps more

importantly, compassion. 

“Finally, after several hours, our own employee transport

drivers took them back 

to Peterborough, stopping off on the way at the

hospitals 

to collect discharged 

patients. 

“All in all, I think it would be fair to say that the

emergency services were grateful for our support.”