The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A girl has been left scared to travel to school after the bus she was riding crashed into a dyke in the same spot for the second time in three years.
On Friday (December 6), schoolchildren were left injured and terrified when their ride home ended up on its side down a dyke in Moulton Seas End.
Local villagers as well as a teacher were first on the scene and helped rescue the children from the Cropley Coaches vehicle.
A mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said her daughter was scared to ride the bus on Monday morning as this was the second time she had been on a school bus that had turned on its side at the same spot in Loose Gate, three years ago to the day of Friday’s crash.
She said: “I got a phone call from my daughter saying, ‘We’re down a dyke again and this time it’s worse’.
“Last time it slid down gently and the driver was able to prepare the children.”
This time, however, the driver was injured and couldn’t speak.
“The Year 7s were screaming, hysterical and panicking.
“All they could hear was people clambering over the bus,” she said.
Passers-by rushed to get the emergency door open before services arrived.
Trying to get out, “children were falling as they weren’t big or strong enough to lift themselves out,” she said.
A resident brought a ladder to help evacuate the children.
Particular praise has been given to a teacher who stopped and jumped into the bus, helping children out the hatch. It was also reportedly her birthday, and she shared out her birthday sweets.
The parent described the scene as “absolute chaos” and the rescue operation took an hour and a half, during which the village was “gridlocked”.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said crews from Spalding and Holbeach attended. They secured the bus with props and provided casualty care to two children and the driver while waiting for East Midlands Ambulance Service.
The mother said the driver wasn’t at fault and has called on Lincolnshire County Council to limit HGV use on the road, as she claims the problem is caused by large vehicles passing.
“There’s been six accidents and every time involved lorries,” she said.
“The road is not wide enough for lorries, they go into the middle of the road at the bend.”
Cropley Coaches opened early the next day so pupils could collect the belongings they had to leave on the coach.
In a statement the company said: “We would like to express our appreciation to all who helped and to the passengers for how good they handled to the situation and also thanks for all the well-wishes for Sid (the driver).”
Lincolnshire County Council had not provided comment by time of press (Wednesday).
