**Minehead School Bus Crash: Former Jockey Recounts Ordeal After Rushing to Children’s Aid**
A retired jockey from Somerset has described the emotional toll of assisting victims, including children, at the scene of a devastating school bus crash near Minehead. Alan Jones, 64, sprang into action in the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s tragic accident, utilising his quad bike to transport children and staff to a place of safety. The incident, which occurred on the A396 at Cutcombe Hill, resulted in the death of a 10-year-old pupil and left six children and three adults in hospital.
The school vehicle, which was transporting up to 70 pupils and staff from Minehead Middle School back from an end-of-term excursion to Exmoor Zoo, lost control before overturning and slipping down a steep 20-foot embankment. The situation demanded urgent assistance, and Jones, now a trainer residing at East Harwood Farm, was among the first locals to respond to the remote and challenging scene.
Reflecting on the harrowing experience, Mr Jones said he was driven by his sense of responsibility to the young passengers. “It’s an incredibly isolated stretch,” he explained. “If you were a child in that situation, you’d have no idea where you were or how to find help. It felt unthinkable not to do something.” Within ten minutes, after making his way across fields with a rope and his quad bike, he reached the accident scene where police had already secured the area.
Upon arriving, Mr Jones noticed that, aside from emergency personnel clustered around the upturned bus, few locals had managed to access the crash site. “I realised some children and staff had already got clear of the bus, but they were bewildered and stranded along the roadside,” he said. “The children were visibly distressed, clearly shaken up, injured, and terribly upset. They’d just survived a traumatic ordeal and many were too young or too shaken to make the journey unaided.”
Jones first assisted two teachers, carefully taking them around the winding bends towards the Rest and Be Thankful Inn at Wheddon Cross, which authorities had designated as a safe haven. On their way, the group encountered other children and another adult making their way, or attempting to, towards help. Many of the children were too exhausted or hurt to walk the required distance.
He described the sense of shock among the survivors, saying: “They didn’t talk much – they were numb. One teacher muttered, ‘I’m never getting on a bus or coach again,’ which tells you everything you need to know about the impact of the crash.”
Once ambulances collected the first wave of evacuees, Mr Jones made several return trips to bring more survivors to safety. The traumatic scenes weighed heavily on him later that night. “I struggled to sleep. It’s so sad – none of this was their fault. When children are involved, there’s a sense of helplessness. You just want to do everything you can to help,” he told reporters.
The remote nature of the incident complicated rescue and recovery operations, with emergency services working intensively at the scene between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe. Authorities have since confirmed the road will remain closed until at least the start of next week as investigations and vehicle recovery continue. The area’s geography, with high roadside trees and steep drops, posed additional hazards and difficulties for those involved.
The tragedy has reverberated throughout the local community. Fundraising efforts to support affected families have already amassed tens of thousands of pounds, while floral tributes and messages have been left at Minehead Middle School, which closed its doors in the aftermath of the incident. The collective grief and concern have demonstrated the close-knit nature of small communities during times of crisis.
As the official inquiry progresses, local officials have praised the swift actions of bystanders like Mr Jones, whose efforts provided both physical and emotional support to the victims. The incident stands as a sombre reminder of the unpredictable dangers faced on rural roads, and the strength shown by both survivors and their community in the wake of tragedy.