The Sunday Post (Newcastle)

Eight die, four hurt in M-way minibus horror

- Alistair Grant agrant@sundaypost.com

EIGHT people died in a horror crash which reduced a minibus to a barely recognisab­le heap.

Six men and two women were killed when the bus and two lorr ies crashed on a motorway, leaving three other passengers fighting for their lives.

Among the three people taken to hospital with lifethreat­ening injuries were a fiveyear- old girl, a man and a woman, Thames Valley Police said.

A fourth person was admitted to hospital with less severe injuries after the collision on the southbound carriagewa­y of the M1 near Newport Pagnell, Buckingham­shire.

Some people travelling on the minibus were visiting the UK from India.

The drivers of the two lorries were arrested in connection with the incident.

A 31- year- old man from Worcesters­hire was arrested on suspicion of one count of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of drink-driving.

A 53-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent is also in custody, on suspicion of one count of causing death by dangerous driving.

It is thought the minibus had travelled from the Nottingham area, Thames Valley Police said.

Chief Inspector Henry Parsons said: “This collision was deeply distressin­g for the members of the public who witnessed it, along with the emergency service workers who attended and displayed high levels of profession­alism.”

Emergency services were called shortly before 3.15am yesterday and the road was closed until the early afternoon to allow recovery work to take place.

 ??  ?? The crumpled wreck of the minibus following yesterday’s tragedy on the M1.
The crumpled wreck of the minibus following yesterday’s tragedy on the M1.
 ??  ?? ■ The wreckage of the two lorries after the fatal crash in Bucks.
■ The wreckage of the two lorries after the fatal crash in Bucks.

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