Schoolchildren cut free after minibus hits tree

Three children and two adults had to be cut free from a mini bus after it came off the road and hit a tree at Dunkerton.

Four people were taken to hospital, including one who was in a serious condition after the accident at 3.20pm on Monday, July 2, according to the ambulance service. It is understood the driver suffered a “medical episode” at the wheel. The children, who attend St Gregory’s Catholic College in Bath, have been offered support by Avon and Somerset Police and Bath and North East Somerset Council, along with their families. And the driver is no longer in a serious condition. The council said: “St Gregory’s and Bath and North East Somerset Council are supporting children and families affected by the incident.” Saint Gregory’s is a co-ed school for 11 to 18-year-olds in Combe Hay Lane which runs off the A367 in Odd Down. Avon and Somerset police were called out just after 3.20pm to a report of a crash on the A367 at Dunkerton between the Odd Down roundabout and the turning for Camerton. Officers closed the road at the junction with the B3115 and at the Odd Down roundabout to enable

emergency services to deal with the incident. Bath fire crews were called out to help free five people who were trapped inside the minibus. A spokeswoman for Avon Fire and Rescue said three children and two adults had been trapped and that hydraulic cutting equipment was used to free them. They were treated by paramedics at the scene before four were taken to hospital. The spokeswoman said: “There were five casualties in total: three children and two adults.” The South Western Ambulance Service said two patients were

taken to Bath’s Royal United Hospital and two were taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. One patient was said at the time be in a serious condition and an air ambulance attended the scene. A spokesman for the service said: “A male patient was transported by land ambulance to Southmead Hospital in a serious condition. “A female patient was transported by land ambulance to hospital with suspected arm and wrist injuries. “Two females were transported to the Royal United Hospital in Bath for assessment by clinicians.” He said: “We were called at 3.20pm to attend a road traffic incident involving one vehicle on the A367 near the Odd Down Park and Ride Car Park. “We have attended this incident with three rapid response vehicles, four ambulances, one air ambulance, one hazardous area response team of six specialist paramedics, two critical care teams, and one operations officer.” The road was reopened by 6.15pm.