10-year-old boy who died in bus crash named by police
Oliver Price was killed when the vehicle left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead, Somerset, and slid down a 20ft slope last Thursday, Avon and Somerset Police said.
The bus had been carrying 60 to 70 pupils and staff from Minehead Middle School, who were returning from a trip to Exmoor Zoo days before the end of term.
Chief Superintendent Mark Edgington said: 'Our thoughts are first and foremost with Oliver's family at what must be an unimaginably difficult time. We will continue to make sure they're updated.
'Our investigation is now well under way with officers working tirelessly to find out what caused it. This work is likely to take some time and we're asking for patience while these inquiries take place.
'Over the last few days we have been working closely with our partner agencies and the school to ensure support is in place for anyone who might need it.
'We are extremely grateful for all the support that's been received locally. This clearly shows how special and close-knit this community is.
'I would like to also thank all the emergency services and voluntary groups who responded for their support as well as everyone in our hospitals who continue to help those who were injured.'
A number of children were discharged from hospital over the weekend while two children and three adults remain in hospital, the force said.
It is understood that those still in hospital are now in a stable condition.
The crash happened between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe at about 3.15pm on July 17.
The vehicle left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20ft from the road, down a steep slope.
An off-duty firefighter travelling behind the coach was able to start freeing passengers immediately.
Avon and Somerset Police said officers from the serious collision investigation team have been examining the circumstances of the incident.
The coach was recovered on Saturday and will now be subject to a detailed examination by experts.
'Officers have also been taking statements from a number of adults who were either on the coach or were travelling in the area at the time as part of their work to establish the full circumstances of the collision,' a force spokesman said.
'The examination of the scene has been completed, however, the road remains closed while a detailed safety inspection is carried out by Somerset Council.'
Following the tragedy, a stream of people visited the school, which has pupils aged between nine and 14, to pay respects and leave tributes at the gates after the crash.
Many were visibly upset and were hugging and supporting each other.
Online fundraisers for those affected have raised more than £25,000.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
British man convicted of trying to spy for Russian intelligence service
A British man who 'dreamt about being like James Bond' has been found guilty of trying to spy for what he believed to be Russian intelligence service agents. Howard Phillips, 65, from Harlow, Essex, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called 'Sasha' and 'Dima', including by passing on personal information about former defence secretary Sir Grant Shapps, helping with travel logistics and booking hotels. But 'Dima' and 'Sasha' were in fact undercover British intelligence officers, Winchester Crown Court previously heard. A jury found Phillips guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act on Tuesday, following a trial at the same court. The jury reached a unanimous verdict after four hours and four minutes of deliberations. Phillips, wearing a dark suit and tie, silently shook his head in the dock as the verdict was given. The defendant's ex-wife, Amanda Phillips, told the court during the trial that he 'would dream about being like James Bond', and that he watched films to do with MI5 and MI6 as he was 'infatuated with it'. Mrs Phillips told the court she was aware the defendant had applied for a job at the UK Border Force in October 2023, which prosecutors said was part of his bid to assist Russia's intelligence service. Phillips previously claimed he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the 'earliest available date' in the autumn.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hewlett-Packard lost hundreds of millions in Autonomy acquisition, judge rules
Hewlett-Packard (HP) lost hundreds of millions of pounds through its acquisition of British software company Autonomy, which was founded by Mike Lynch, a High Court judge has ruled. The technology firm, now known as Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE), sued the British entrepreneur for around five billion US dollars following its purchase of Cambridge-based Autonomy for 11.1 billion dollars (£8.2 billion) in 2011. The company claimed at a nine-month trial in 2019 that Mr Lynch inflated Autonomy's revenues and 'committed a deliberate fraud over a sustained period of time', which it said forced it to announce an 8.8 billion dollar (£6.5 billion) write-down of the firm's worth just over a year after the acquisition. In a ruling in 2022, Mr Justice Hildyard said the American firm had 'substantially succeeded' in their claim, but that it was likely to receive 'substantially less' than the amount it claimed in damages. He said that Autonomy had not accurately portrayed its financial position during the purchase, but even if it had, HPE would still have bought the company, but at a reduced price. A hearing was then held last year to decide the amount that Mr Lynch must pay in damages, before the businessman died aged 59 along with his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, and five others when his yacht, the Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily last August. On Tuesday, Mr Justice Hildyard ruled that HPE suffered losses amounting to £697,876,753 through the purchasing of Autonomy, some of which is set to be paid by Mr Lynch's estate. He also ruled that Mr Lynch's estate is liable to pay part of around 47.5 million dollars in damages, which is worth around £35 million. Some of the money is due to be paid by Sushovan Hussain, Autonomy's former chief financial officer, who was also sued by HPE. He was convicted in April 2018 in the US of wire fraud and other crimes related to Autonomy's sale, and was sentenced to five years in prison. While he has since settled HPE's claim, he could still be required to pay damages. A further hearing to deal with matters including interest, currency conversion and whether Mr Lynch's estate can appeal against the decision is set to be held in November. Handing down his ruling, Mr Justice Hildyard expressed his 'great sympathy' for Mr Lynch's family, calling his death a 'tragedy'. He said: 'It is a source of anxiety to me that I have to deliver a judgment that will inevitably cause further stress on those involved.' In the 197-page ruling, he said he considered that HPE's claim 'was always substantially exaggerated' and that the five billion dollars figure claimed 'was not based on detailed analysis'. Following the ruling in 2022, Mr Lynch, who was also the founding investor of cybersecurity giant Darktrace, was extradited to the US in May 2023 to face criminal charges after his removal was approved by the then-Home Secretary Priti Patel. He was cleared of accusations that he orchestrated a fraud and conspiracy over Autonomy's sale in the US in June 2024, and was celebrating the acquittal on his yacht at the time of his death. In a statement written before his death, issued posthumously by his representatives on Tuesday, Mr Lynch said: 'Today's High Court ruling reflects that HP's original five billion dollar damages claim was not just a wild overstatement – misleading shareholders – but it was off the mark by 80%. 'HP acquired Autonomy for 11.6 billion dollars and today's judgment is a view that Autonomy's actual value was not even 10% below the price HP paid. 'This result exposes HP's failure and makes clear that the immense damage to Autonomy was down to HP's own errors and actions. 'An appeal process will be considered later this year. 'The English civil case included hearsay evidence from the US and we were never able to question or cross-examine those witnesses. 'This is in direct contrast to the rights of defendants in the US legal system. 'When in the US criminal trial we were able to cross-examine the relevant witnesses, a very different story emerged. Why is the English legal system so trusting?' A spokesperson for HPE said: 'We are pleased that this decision brings us a step closer to the resolution of this dispute. 'We look forward to the further hearing at which the final amount of HPE's damages will be determined.' Jeremy Sandelson, who was appointed by the court as administrator of Mr Lynch's estate, said he would be 'examining the judgment carefully', including whether to appeal both the 2022 ruling and the judgment on Tuesday.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Travesty' no officers prosecuted for Jean Charles de Menezes' death
The family of mistaken terror suspect Jean Charles de Menezes have said it is a 'travesty' no police officer has been held accountable 20 years after he was shot dead. Dozens of people joined his relatives for a vigil outside Stockwell Tube station in south London, where the Brazilian was shot and killed by police the day after failed bombing attempts on the London transport network. It came two weeks after the 7/7 terror attacks, which killed 52 people in central London in 2005. Mr de Menezes' family were joined at a memorial outside the station to pay tribute and lay flowers, to mark the 20th anniversary of his death. A minute's silence was held to mark the moment the 27-year-old was killed, a prayer was also read in both Portuguese and English, and traditional South American music was played in his honour. Family members and supporters of the campaign wore black T-shirts which read: '20 years: Justice denied. Justice4Jean.' Relatives say the anniversary marks a renewed call for truth and accountability for those responsible for his death. Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head the day after police mistakenly identified him as one of the suspects for the failed bombings. Would-be suicide bombers had targeted the transport network on July 21, but their devices failed to explode. Police found an address in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill, written on a gym membership in one of the unexploded bags used by the bombers. Mr de Menezes, who lived in one of the flats at Scotia Road, was wrongly identified by police as Hussain Osman, one of the terrorists. He was shot dead at Stockwell Tube station on July 22 2005. His family said it is 'a travesty' that no police officer has been held accountable for his death. Patricia da Silva Armani, Mr de Menezes' cousin, said: 'He was a completely innocent man. And yet, he was shot in cold blood. 'To make things worse, lies were spread to justify the unjustifiable. 'For our family, the grief of that loss and the injustice surrounding it are still with us, every single day. 'Nothing can erase the pain of knowing that the life of a hard-working, kind, and honest young man was taken from us out of prejudice and incompetence. 'To this day, no police officer has been held accountable for Jean's death. That is a travesty. 'It is unacceptable that agents of the state can act with impunity. Without accountability, there is no justice. 'Jean's memory demands more than words – it demands truth, accountability, and real change. We will not forget. We will not be silent.' No officers were ever prosecuted for the killing of Mr De Menezes but the Metropolitan Police were fined for breaching health and safety laws. Dame Cressida Dick, who became Metropolitan Police commissioner in 2017, led the operation in which Mr de Menezes died. Yasmin Khan, the campaign's lawyer, said: 'Twenty years ago today, Jean Charles de Menezes stepped on to a train here at Stockwell station and never came home. 'We remember him today, because the system that killed him never faced justice, and not a single police officer was ever held accountable.' Ms Khan added: 'What I've learned from these people we see standing in front of you is to remember Jean Charles is a lesson in refusing to be silent. 'It's an honour, not just to his life, but to the bravery of those who fought for him to remind us that the fight for justice is long. 'Justice may have been denied, but their fight was worth every breath.'
