Three dead and 35 injured as three vehicles believed to have been involved in accident on A66 near Keswick
A coach carrying schoolchildren has overturned on one of Cumbria’s busiest roads, killing three people after it was in collision with two other vehicles, it was reported tonight.
The accident happened on the A66 at the junction near Braithwaite, between Keswick and Cockermouth, at 3.45pm today, involving a coach, a minibus and a car. The coach has reportedly overturned, but precise details were sketchy.
Three people died, a further five have sustained serious injuries and 30 others have minor injuries.
The incident was reported to police at 3.47pm and the road is currently blocked at the Thornthwaite turn-off on the A66 from the Cockermouth direction.
Great North air ambulance confirmed that two helicopters had been sent to the scene and that two air ambulances from Yorkshire and the North West were being dispatched.
No further details have yet been released by police. It is not known how many people in total were involved in the accident.
Cumbria police said: “Emergency services are currently dealing with a serious road traffic collision that occurred on the A66 near Keswick, towards Cockermouth reported to police at 3.47pm this afternoon.”
A Braithwaite resident, who did not want to be named, said: “There were kids on the coach – I understand that they’ve been taken away from the scene and are being looked after in the village.”
A spokesperson for the Great North air ambulance said: “Two helicopters have been sent to the scene, one from Teesside, another from Cumbria. Both have experienced doctors on board. Medi crews from the air ambulance in Yorkshire and the north west are being activated.”
A spokesperson for the North-West ambulance service said: “We believe three people have died, five have sustained serious injuries and 30 have minor injuries. All available ambulances are being sent to the scene, it is being treated as a major incident.
“The casualties will be taken to the nearest available hospitals.”
The coach company which owns the overturned coach is JB Pickthall of Frizington, Cumbria.
No one was available for a formal comment but a man at the company said: “It’s absolutely horrendous. I can′t get through to anyone on the phone.”
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