29 September 2023 , 20:15
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The driver of a school bus suffered "medical issues" behind the wheel before he died in a horror crash on the motorway, his family have said.
The man, named Stephen Shrimpton, was driving a coach of more than 50 schoolchildren when it crashed into the central reservation on the M53 earlier today. A 14-year-old girl also died in the crash and 17 others were rushed to hospital.
Launching a GoFundMe to pay for his funeral, Stephen's sister in law, Emily said the dad had left behind a widow in her 30s and two children aged eight and four.
She wrote: "I’m raising some funds for my brother-in-law's funeral. He tragically died in an accident on the M53 on the morning of the 29th of September, after suffering medical issues at the wheel while driving students to school.
The coach was carrying pupils from Calday Grange Grammar School and West Kirby Grammar School for Girls (PA)"He’s sadly left behind my sister who’s now a widow in her early thirties, and unfortunately a single mum alongside his much loved two young children, only 8 and 4, who are going to grow up without their beloved father." A major incident was declared and a huge emergency services response rushed to the scene in Wirral, Merseyside, just after 8am on Friday. Flowers were left outside West Kirby Grammar School where some of the students on the bus attended. It is understood other students were travelling to Calday Grange Grammar School on the same bus. The route, which is run by Carvers Coaches, collects children from North Wales and Chester before travelling to the schools. Police said a total of 58 people were on board when the coach crashed, including the driver. Of those, four were rushed straight to hospital while the others were taken to a makeshift triage centre.
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Stephen Shrimpton tragically died after the bus crash on the M53 on Friday (Facebook)Another 13 were sent to hospital from the triage centre and 39 students were discharged back into the care of their parents or guardians, according to the North West Ambulance Service. Two students remained in a serious condition on Friday afternoon while the rest were treated for minor injuries. Merseyside Police have appealed for witnesses and drivers with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward. The force said post mortems on the two fatal victims would be conducted next week. To donate visit the fundraiser here.