Ballerina, 14, is killed as bin lorry and school minibus crash
A GIRL of 14 died on a school art trip yesterday when the minibus she was travelling in was involved in a collision with a bin lorry.
The seat Holly Brown was sitting in is thought to have taken most of the impact of the crash with the 12-ton truck.
The talented ballerina died at the scene from severe head injuries.
Three teachers and 21 pupils from John Taylor High School in Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire, were heading to Birmingham Botanical Gardens when the crash happened on a dual carriageway in nearby Castle Vale at 9am.
One mother revealed that her son, who was sitting near Holly, believed the bus driver’s quick thinking prevented more deaths.
He told her all pupils on the 29seat minibus were wearing seatbelts when the Birmingham council lorry ‘hit it in the middle’.
She added: ‘My son was two seats in front of her – it went into that side. He saw it all.
‘The driver fought to save the students with courageous driving skills. He is a hero.
‘The truck went into the side of the minibus. There could have been more casualties, but apparently his skills stopped that.’
Holly, who has an identical twin, Emma, had already danced with the Midlands Theatre Ballet, the English Youth Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.
In 2014, she beat 250 other youngsters to win a starring role in Sleeping Beauty at the Grand Theatre, in Wolverhampton.
Stephanie Parrott, who had taught Holly dance for ten years, paid tribute to the ‘ballerina in the making’ yesterday.
She said: ‘Holly was so talented and passionate about dance that she was already studying it as a GCSE with me.
‘Holly was meticulous about her technique and definitely had a career in dance to look forward to. I’m feeling numb at the news. I gather Holly was in the seat which took most of the impact. At least Emma wasn’t on board.
‘I’ve watched them grow up. A promising, beautiful girl has been robbed of her future.’
Holly’s mother, Sari, 50, a pharmaceutical firm manager from Finland who lives with husband Martin, 51, in Burton upon Trent, was said to be ‘devastated’.
West Midlands Police said one girl was taken to hospital with minor injuries, while the other students, teachers and both drivers were treated at the scene. Superintendent Dean Hatton said: ‘We cannot confirm whether all students were wearing seatbelts but that will form part of the investigation.