A schoolboy died from head injuries when a coach full of children crashed down a 20-foot slope before overturning.
Oliver Price, 10, died when a coach carrying up to 70 pupils and staff plunged down a steep slope on a return journey from an end-of-term trip on Thursday last week.
The Minehead Middle School pupil was killed when the coach left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead, Somerset, ending up in the ditch just days before the summer holidays.
The first to arrive at the scene was an off-duty firefighter, who rescued trapped children and teachers at about 3.15pm.
Now a coroner has confirmed that the youngster died from catastrophic head injuries inside the wreckage.
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Vanessa McKinlay, the assistant coroner for Somerset, said: ‘He was aged 10 at the time of his death and he was a student.
‘Oliver’s death was confirmed at 5pm on July 17 by the attending paramedic at the A396 at Timberscombe, near Minehead.
‘The brief circumstances of the death are that Oliver was a student of Minehead Middle School who was being taken back to Minehead by coach with a number of other children and staff having been on a trip to Exmoor Zoo.
‘The coach came off the A396 road at Timberscombe into a steep wooded area.
‘Oliver was found seated in the coach with his seat belt on. His death was confirmed by the attending paramedic.
‘Oliver’s provisional cause of death is head injury pending results of laboratory investigations.’
Injured children rescued from the mangled bus were taken to hospitals in the region.
Several of them were able to return home over the weekend, but two children and three adults remain in hospital.
One teacher from Minehead Middle School spoke of the bravery the children in the aftermath of the smash.
They said on social media: ‘My amazing students, I couldn’t be prouder of you all and how incredibly brave you’ve been.
‘You looked after each other in what was a life-changing event, we will get through this together. I feel so lucky to be your teacher.’
People have rallied to support the victims and their families.
One man’s efforts alone have raised £30,000.
Bobbie Rammond praised the locals for their response, saying they have been ‘amazing’ after the crash.
He said the community has felt the death deeply, and that his strong attachment to the area prompted him to raise money.
The inquest for Mr Price is set to continue on January 14 to hear from witnesses, including the coach driver, the adult passengers on board and collision specialists.
Ms McKinlay added: ‘The likely scope of the inquest will be the events of the day prior to the coach leaving the road, the circumstances in which the coach left the road and Oliver’s medical cause of death.
‘I would like to close by offering my condolences to Oliver’s family.’
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