Fatal Bus Crash

Officers are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision at Great Ryburgh on Friday 22 July 2011.

The incident occurred at about 4.50pm on the A1067. The collision involved a coach, carrying about 37 elderly people on board and the coach driver. The coach was on a day trip to Sandringham. Three other vehicles involved were a green VW Golf, a purple Ford Focus and blue Ford Focus.

A man from Fakenam area who was driving the purple Ford Focus sadly died in the collision.

A female passenger of green VW Golf was taken to Queen Elizabeth hospital with a head injury. The driver of this car was unhurt. The driver of blue Ford Focus was also uninjured.

Three passengers on the coach were taken to Norfolk and Norwich hospital. They sustained a leg injury, chest pains and facial injuries. Other passengers suffered from shock. The driver of the coach sustained minor injuries to his hands.

The fire service and ambulance service were also called to the scene. The single carriageway road was closed and diversions put in place while the emergency services treated casualties and cleared the road. The Highways Agency was also in attendance to clear fuel and oil that had spilt onto the road.

A nearby pub, the Ordnance Arms, was used as a location to take the coach passengers to and act as a triage centre to enable medical staff to check no-one has sustained serious injures. The passengers were later collected and taken from the collision location by another coach.

The police would like to thank the community for their help and support in assisting and the willingness of the pub to open their doors to provide support to the passengers involved.

An investigation into the cause of the collision is underway and police are appealing for witnesses.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the manner of driving of any of the vehicles involved prior to the collision should contact Sgt Simon Atherton at Norfolk Constabulary’s Road Policing Team at Wymondham on 0845 4564567.