Minehead Middle School speaks out after Oliver Price's death in horror coach crash

The headteacher of a school grieving the death of a 10-year-old pupil killed in a coach crash following a year's trip to a zoo has spoken out following the tragedy.

Laura Mackie, who has been headteacher of Minehead Middle School since September 2023, said Oliver Price's death last week has "profoundly affected everyone". The youngster sustained head injuries when the vehicle - returning from the zoo - left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead, Somerset, and slid down a 20ft slope.

The opening of the boy's inquest yesterday heard 60 to 70 pupils and staff were on the coach, some of whom were dashed to hospital with injuries of varying extents. Speaking after the hearing at at Somerset Coroner's Court was adjourned, Ms Mackie said: "The loss of such a brilliant young life has profoundly affected everyone - students, staff, families, and the wider community.

"We continue to keep Oliver and those closest to him firmly in our thoughts, and we are supporting our school community with great care and sensitivity as we begin to process what has happened.

"Our focus remains on caring for one another and moving forward gently, with compassion, as we begin to navigate the future together."

READ MORE: Minehead bus crash: Schoolboy, 10, killed as zoo trip coach 'overturned' named

The pupils and staff at Minehead Middle School, which Ofsted inspected this year and rated its behaviour and attitudes and personal development as Good, were coming back from Exmoor Zoo days before the end of term when the crash happened.

Oliver was wearing his seatbelt when the coach overturned, the inquest was told. An off-duty firefighter travelling behind the vehicle was able to start freeing passengers immediately.

But Oliver had suffered severe head injuries and he was declared dead at the scene, at Timberscombe, near Minehead. Speaking during the brief opening of the inquest, Vanessa McKinlay, the assistant coroner for Somerset, said: "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."

The inquest has been listed to resume on January 14 with a one-day hearing to involve evidence from witnesses including the adult passengers on the coach, other witnesses, the coach driver, and specialist collision investigators and vehicle examiners.

"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," Ms McKinlay said.

A number of children involved in the crash were discharged from hospital over the weekend, while two children and three adults remain in hospital. The coach was recovered on Saturday and will now be subject to a detailed examination by experts.