Survivors help with crash investigation

POLICE have travelled to Cambridgeshire to interview survivors of the Alton coach crash.

Officers from Staffordshire arrived in Peterborough yesterday to begin talking to migrant workers who were on the bus which smashed through a wall and plunged down an embankment.

A 26-year-old Polish man, Piotr Wolski, died in the incident on Monday evening, which happened as 70 workers were returning from a day trip to Alton Towers. A post mortem will now be arranged.

Of the seven people in hospital yesterday, one was discharged from Queen's Hospital in Burton in the afternoon.

Two people - the 62-year-old coach driver and a 21-year-old woman, both detained at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital - remain in a critical condition.

The condition of the other 21-year-old woman has improved and she is no longer described as critical. She is at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire along with three other women.

Searches at the scene in Alton by a specialist police team concluded last night and various items taken from the scene were being examined.

A probe into the the crash has been launched by Staffordshire Police Major Investigation Department, supported by The Vehicle And Operator Agency and The Health And Safety Executive.

Five officers travelled to Peterborough yesterday to assess the situation and advise whether any more officers will be needed to carry out the interviews.

The passengers, from Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, were working at Luttons Fruit Farm, Oundle, near Peterborough.

Interpreters will be needed for some of the passengers, and police say the process is expected to take a number of weeks.

Staffordshire Police are continuing to liaise with foreign embassies to keep victims' families updated.

Collision investigators and vehicle examiners from VOSA also began a detailed examination of the coach yesterday.

A mobile police unit remained on Station Road yesterday.

The residents of two properties evacuated following the crash were allowed to return home on Tuesday night.

Chief Inspector John Maddox said today: "The police investigation, at this stage, is focusing on the coach itself, rather than the road where the crash happened. Examination of the coach is ongoing and officers are beginning to interview the coach's passengers.

"Although our inquiries have concluded at the scene, local officers will maintain a highly visible presence in the village over the next few days. I'd like to re-iterate my thanks to residents for their support and assistance this week. I also want to express my thanks to Alton Towers staff who offered shelter and first aid to dozens of the traumatised passengers and arranged transport home for them. Their help to the emergency services on Monday night was invaluable."

Meanwhile, health bosses have praised the actions of staff who dealt with the aftermath of the crash. NHS workers from across the area joined forces to make sure there were enough staff, and enough space, to treat the injured at The University Of North Staffordshire and Leek Moorlands Hospital.

Chief Executive of NHS North Staffordshire, Tony Bruce, said: "I am very pleased at the way that NHS staff from all of our local organisations worked so seamlessly together to help the injured and to support our emergency services."

An incident room has been set up by police. Anyone with information is asked to ring 01785 234995 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.