Six pupils have been taken to hospital after a school bus overturned and came to rest in a field near Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire. The double-decker bus was carrying approximately 34 students from Mearns Academy when it crashed at Garvock Hill shortly after 4pm BST.
Police confirmed that those taken to hospital were suffering from back and shoulder injuries, while a further 13 children were being treated for minor injuries at the scene. Heavy rain and strong winds are believed to have been a contributing factor in the incident.
Inspector Ian Kirkwood of Police Scotland said the crash could 'potentially have been a serious incident,' but praised the response from emergency services and the school. 'Thankfully all the emergency services have worked well together with the assistance of Mearns Academy and it would appear that none of the children have serious injuries as a result of this incident,' he added.
Aberdeenshire Council acknowledged that parents had previously raised concerns about the use of double-decker buses on this route. In a statement, the council said: 'Assessments had been carried out and arrangements agreed with the bus operator. We will clearly be reviewing these in consultation with the police and bus operator in light of this incident.' The council also confirmed that all seats on the bus were fitted with seatbelts.
