How safe are our kids (From Barry And District News)

How safe are our kids

travelling to school is being questioned following the fatal Cowbridge bus crash.

Police have launched an immediate investigation in a bid to establish just how the double-decker, owned by Llandow-based company EST, overturned killing one 12-year-old boy and leaving 20 injured.

Detectives are treating the area as a crime scene until they have established exactly why the vehicle left the road in perfect weather conditions and plunged down an embankment.

They are working closely with the local authority who have offered their 'full co-operation'.

A report is also being prepared for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan coroner Dr Lawrence Addicott.

The accident has already re-opened the debate about the safety of children travelling to and from school.

Because it was not a dedicated school bus, there were no seat belts and the children could crowd on three to a seat.

School buses have seat belts and limit children to two per seat.

Friends of the family of the dead boy are calling for a national debate about these issues.

As the road remain closed yesterday, Cowbridge Comprehensive pupils relived the horrifying moment that the coach left the road just after crossing a hump-back bridge, and plunged more than 15ft down a bank before crashing into a tree.

Survivors spoke of their terror on the 50 seater bus - which was carrying more than 70 children home from school.

Philip Caseley, 15, said: "We were driving along the main road and I was on the ground floor of the double decker. For some reason we suddenly left the road.

"The bus lurched to one side, went down the bank and collided with a tree.

"Everyone was hysterical - you could hear people screaming through fear and because of their injuries.

"It was terrifying but the worst of it was upstairs because that's where the tree hit.

"It's an awful thing to happen just before Christmas especially in a small place like this."

Groups of schoolchildren were huddled together crying on each other's shoulders as they waited for news of the victims.

One girl on board said: "Everyone was screaming as the bus fell over. It was terrifying. But everyone was trying to help each other get off."

Pupils praised the emergency services who responded quickly.

The dead child, Stuart Cunningham-Jones was cut free from the wreckage, one boy was airlifted to Swansea Hospital.

Five injured children and the bus driver were taken to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant.

The remaining pupils were taken to the White Lion pub that acted as a makeshift hospital.

Landlady Jane Clarke said: "The police asked us to open to take in the children - both the injured and uninjured ones. It has been very upsetting."

A Vale council spokesman said: "The council has been deeply shocked.

The accident involved a service bus which is used by the general public and pupils, both fare paying and those with free passes."