Appeal For Witnesses After Collision With Van Near Piercebridge

Police have appealed for witnesses after 14 students suffered minor injuries when the bus they were travelling on collided with a van close to Piercebridge in County Durham.

The bus was taking a total of 20 students to Darlington College when the incident occurred this morning (September 18th) on a minor road, with the van driver suffering leg injuries and the bus driver also being hurt in the crash.

Emergency services and senior college staff attending the scene, with those injured in the incident being taken to various local hospitals.

The road was closed following the incident and re-opened this afternoon.

Anyone who witnessed the crash has been urged to contact North Yorkshire Police with information.

Expert Opinion

This is the latest in a worrying series of bus crashes in the North East in recent weeks, coming after the collision in which a Go North East vehicle collided with headstones in a Gateshead cemetery and the incident involving school children in a Stanley Travel bus in June. <br/> <br/>"Our work providing support to victims of a number of crashes in the UK and abroad, including the Stanley Travel crash, means we have seen that passengers affected by such incidents can be left with severe physical and psychological injuries. <br/> <br/>"The primary concern at present must be to ensure that those injured in this latest crash get the medical support they need at this time, with the ultimate aim of ensuring they can make a full recovery. <br/> <br/>"Attention then must turn to determining the series of events which led to the incident, with a view to learning lessons from what happened and discovering what could be done to prevent the problems from being repeated. <br/> <br/>"All of those on board the bus and their families will be keen for answers regarding what happened." Glen Edney - Partner