Latest news with #AlanJones
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Former jockey who helped Minehead crash victims says he ‘couldn't sleep'
A former professional jockey who helped adults and children involved in a school bus crash said he 'couldn't sleep' because of the trauma of what he saw. Alan Jones, 64, ferried passengers to safety by driving them to a safe hub on his quad bike following the crash in Somerset on Thursday. A 10-year-old boy died and six children and three adults remain in hospital after the vehicle left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead and slid down a 20ft slope. 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. Mr Jones, who now works as a trainer and lives at East Harwood Farm, said he took a total of eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross after their school bus overturned. As he had a quad bike, he felt he would be able to get to the road, which had been closed, via the fields and took a rope with him. 'It's the most remote place,' he said. 'The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. 'I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. 'When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. 'I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there.' He said he first helped two teachers on the side of the road. As he drove the two women slowly round the bends towards the pub, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub which had been set up as a safe hub. He said: 'They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. 'They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. 'You could see they were injured and crying and upset. 'It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 'I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up.' When he got to the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. He said: 'They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot. 'One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'.' Mr Jones said he could not get to sleep when he returned home to bed. 'They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight,' he added. 'When you hear it's children from a middle school, I should think everybody dropped everything like I did, because it's just something about children – they're pretty helpless, really. 'They couldn't even walk to the pub because they just got tired, which is quite sad.' The crash happened between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at about 3.15pm on Thursday. The vehicle left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20ft from the road, down a steep slope. Recovery of the vehicle and the investigation are complex, and the PA news agency understands the road will remain closed until the beginning of next week. Fundraisers have also been set up for affected families, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds in total so far. Tributes have been left at the school, which remained closed on Friday.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Jockey 'couldn't sleep' after Minehead school coach crash
A former professional jockey who helped teachers and pupils involved in a coach crash says he "couldn't sleep" after what he had Jones said he had transported passengers to safety on his quad bike after the coach being used for a Minehead Middle School trip crashed near Wheddon Cross in Somerset on Thursday.A 10-year-old boy died after the coach left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill and slid down a 20ft slope during the return journey from Exmoor Zoo. Six children and three adults remain in hospital."They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight," Mr Jones said. The 64-year-old, who now works as a trainer, said he had taken eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross, which was set up as a safe hub after the crash. 'Crying and upset' Mr Jones said he had used his quad bike to get to Cutcombe Hill via said the crash site was in "the most remote place" and he thought it "would have been wrong not to try and help".He described how he had first picked up two teachers on the side of the road, then saw a group of children and one adult who were trying to get to the safe hub."You could see they were injured and crying and upset. It was too far, these were very young middle school children," he said."They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services."I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up." When Mr Jones got further up the road, ambulances picked up the two teachers he was transporting and he returned to help another teacher and said: "They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot."One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'."Fundraisers set up for affected families have raised tens of thousands of have been left at Minehead Middle School, which remained closed on Friday.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Former jockey who rescued injured children from school coach crash that killed boy, 10, says he 'can't sleep' from the horror of what he saw inside
A former professional jockey who helped rescue adults and children involved in a horrific school bus crash said he 'couldn't sleep' because of the scenes he witnessed. Alan Jones, 64, ferried passengers to safety by driving them to a safe hub on his quad bike following the crash in Somerset on Thursday. A 10-year-old boy died and six children and three adults remain in hospital after the vehicle left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead and slid down a 20ft slope. 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. Mr Jones, who now works as a trainer and lives at East Harwood Farm, said he took a total of eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross after their school bus overturned. As he had a quad bike, he felt he would be able to get to the road, which had been closed, via the fields and took a rope with him. 'It's the most remote place,' he said. 'The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. 'I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. 'When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. 'I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there.' He said he first helped two teachers on the side of the road. As he drove the two women slowly round the bends, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub which had been set up as a safe point. He said: 'They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. 'They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. 'You could see they were injured and crying and upset. 'It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 'I presume some of them were told to make their way up, but they just couldn't walk up.' When he reached the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. He said: 'They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot. 'One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'.' Mr Jones said he could not sleep when he returned home to bed. 'They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight,' he added. 'When you hear it's children from a middle school, I should think everybody dropped everything like I did, because it's just something about children - they're pretty helpless, really. 'They couldn't even walk to the pub because they just got tired, which is quite sad.' The crash happened between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at about 3.15pm on Thursday. The vehicle left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20ft from the road, down a steep slope. Recovery of the vehicle and the investigation are complex, and the PA news agency understands the road will remain closed until the beginning of next week. Fundraisers have also been set up for affected families, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds in total so far. Tributes have been left at the school, which remained closed on Friday.
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Hero ex-jockey who ferried injured children to safety on quad bike after horror bus crash ‘couldn't sleep' after tragedy
A HERO ex-jockey who ferried children to safety from the horrific bus crash in Somerset has revealed that he couldn't sleep following the tragedy. Alan Jones, 64, drove passengers to safety on the back of his quad bike after they escaped the crash site. 6 6 6 On Thursday, a bus carrying 60 to 70 pupils from Minehead Middle School fell off a 20ft slope. The vehicle was returning from a trip to Exmoor Zoo, before leaving the A396 at Cutcombe Hill and falling from the height. Alan, an ex-jockey, took eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross - following the horrifying crash. The heroic driver used his quad bike to travel across the nearby fields, after the road was closed. However, the sights he saw left him unable to sleep when he got home. Opening up about the crash, Alan said: "It's the most remote place. "The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. "I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. "When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. "I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there." Alan said that he helped two teachers on the side of the road first. Whilst driving the two women towards the pub, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub. The inn was being used as a safe hub for the bus's passengers. Alan said that the group didn't know where they were, when he reached them. He said: "They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. "They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. "You could see they were injured and crying and upset. "It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 6 "I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up." Two teachers were picked up by an ambulance, while Alan worked to get the others to the inn. He says that the teachers and their pupils were a 'sorry sight', but everyone nearby 'dropped everything' to help. One teacher said to him that they were 'never going back on a bus or coach ever again'. When he got to the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. Sadly, a 10-year-old boy died in the crash and six children and three adults are still in hospital. A resident in West Somerset has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support those affected. The campaign has already raised more than £15,000 in just a day. Despite having no direct connections to those affected by the crash, Bobbie Raymond said he launched the fund because he had a 'strong desire' to help. He wrote on the fundraising page: "We are all heartbroken by the tragic school bus crash that occurred on the A396 on July 17. 6 6 "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the children, families, staff, and emergency responders affected by this devastating event. "As a father of two young children myself, I can only begin to imagine the pain and heartbreak that so many are experiencing right now. "This tragedy has shaken the local community, and like many others, I felt a strong desire to do what I could to help. "I understand this is a sensitive time, and while the specific use of the fund will be shaped by the needs of those involved my promise is to ensure it reaches the people who need it most." One schoolgirl, Emily Manning, 10, climbed onto the bus as it was preparing to leave but was told to get off at the last minute. She was told that the bus was already full and that she needed to get on the other coach. Emily got on the other bus which returned her home safely, while the other veered off the 20ft slope. She said: "It had been a really nice day at the zoo. I wanted to go on the second coach because that's where my friends were but there were too many people so I got off. "Everybody was in front of me and that meant I couldn't. I was upset because my friends were on that bus but also lucky.' Her dad, Nick Manning, 48, a window cleaner from Minehead, said: "I just feel incredibly grateful that she wasn't on it. I got a phone call when I was still at work asking me if I had picked up Emily yet because something terrible had happened. "It's every parent's nightmare, it's absolutely awful. I had constant messages and phone calls checking Emily was ok. People were panicking." An off-duty firefighter also pulled over upon seeing the crash and climbed down to the coach, before pulling passengers from the wreckage. Gavin Ellis, Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We were mobilised to a major incident to a coach that had overturned onto its roof and slip approximately 20ft (6.1m) down an embankment. "I'm grateful to the off-duty firefighter who was travelling behind the coach at the point of the collision who was able to start taking immediate [action] to start releasing those casualties from the bus."
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Former jockey who helped Minehead crash victims says he ‘couldn't sleep'
A former professional jockey who helped adults and children involved in a school bus crash said he 'couldn't sleep' because of the trauma of what he saw. Alan Jones, 64, ferried passengers to safety by driving them to a safe hub on his quad bike following the crash in Somerset on Thursday. Advertisement A 10-year-old boy died and six children and three adults remain in hospital after the vehicle left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead and slid down a 20ft slope. 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. Mr Jones, who now works as a trainer and lives at East Harwood Farm, said he took a total of eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross after their school bus overturned. As he had a quad bike, he felt he would be able to get to the road, which had been closed, via the fields and took a rope with him. Advertisement 'It's the most remote place,' he said. 'The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. 'I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. 'When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. Advertisement 'I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there.' People look at the floral tributes at the entrance to Minehead Middle School in Somerset (Ben Birchall/PA) He said he first helped two teachers on the side of the road. As he drove the two women slowly round the bends towards the pub, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub which had been set up as a safe hub. He said: 'They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. Advertisement 'They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. 'You could see they were injured and crying and upset. 'It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 'I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up.' Advertisement A note left on a bunch of flowers among the floral tributes at the entrance to the Minehead Middle School (Ben Birchall/PA) When he got to the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. He said: 'They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot. 'One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'.' Mr Jones said he could not get to sleep when he returned home to bed. 'They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight,' he added. 'When you hear it's children from a middle school, I should think everybody dropped everything like I did, because it's just something about children – they're pretty helpless, really. 'They couldn't even walk to the pub because they just got tired, which is quite sad.' The crash happened between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at about 3.15pm on Thursday. The vehicle left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20ft from the road, down a steep slope. Recovery of the vehicle and the investigation are complex, and the PA news agency understands the road will remain closed until the beginning of next week. Fundraisers have also been set up for affected families, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds in total so far. Tributes have been left at the school, which remained closed on Friday.
