**Community in Mourning as Ten-Year-Old Boy Dies in Minehead School Bus Crash**
Tragedy struck near Minehead, Somerset, on Thursday, when a school coach carrying dozens of children and adults left the road and overturned down a steep slope. Police have now confirmed that a 10-year-old boy lost his life in the incident, casting a pall of grief over the local community.
Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, where the coach had come to rest approximately six metres from the road after veering off course and tumbling down a bank. Initial reports indicate that around 70 passengers—including pupils and staff from Minehead Middle School—were on board at the time of the crash.
A total of six children and three adults remain in hospital receiving treatment for their injuries. According to Avon and Somerset Police, two children were so critically injured that they were airlifted to the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. The remaining casualties are being cared for in hospitals across Somerset. The condition of those still hospitalised has not been publicly detailed, but the incident has clearly left a significant number of families reeling.
Recovery operations and investigations into the collision are proving complex. The challenges of extracting the coach from its precarious resting place, combined with the need to thoroughly examine the circumstances leading to the crash, mean that the affected stretch of road is expected to stay closed for a considerable period. This ongoing closure is likely to affect the local traffic and add an additional layer of disruption to an already distressed community.
Chief Superintendent Mark Edgington, speaking on behalf of Avon and Somerset Police, offered heartfelt thanks to the various emergency responders and community volunteers who rushed to help. In particular, he singled out the 24 volunteers from Exmoor Search and Rescue, who provided essential first aid and delivered triage at the incident’s rest centre. Their specialist rope and search skills were said to be invaluable in the immediate aftermath.
Chief Superintendent Edgington also praised the community spirit demonstrated by the staff at the Rest and Be Thankful pub in Wheddon Cross, which opened its doors to serve as a shelter for those affected. Equally, he expressed his gratitude to Minehead Middle School for their efforts in supporting parents, carers, and students at this incredibly difficult time.
Authorities have also reached out to the public, appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or who might possess relevant information to come forward. Chief Superintendent Edgington urged the community to refrain from speculation on social media, citing the potential impact on the grieving families, school staff, and even the bus driver, all of whom are deeply affected by the tragedy.
The incident has understandably left the Minehead community in deep shock. Floral tributes have begun to appear outside Minehead Middle School, as classmates, teachers, and neighbours grapple with the loss. The focus now turns to supporting those who have been affected, both physically and emotionally, and to ensuring that a full and thorough investigation provides answers in the weeks to come.
Schools, parents, and local authorities are expected to review their safety procedures in the aftermath, although officials have emphasised that such events are, thankfully, rare. Support services are being mobilised in the area, including counselling and trauma support for children and staff.
As the investigation continues, the thoughts of the Somerset and wider Welsh communities remain with those injured and with all families touched by this heartbreaking incident. More information is expected as police continue to piece together the events that led to such an unimaginable loss.