A MEETING has been held to determine why a bus carrying more than 70 schoolchildren crashed into a railway bridge in Headbourne Worthy.

Three pupils needed surgery after they were seriously injured in the collision on Wellhouse Lane on Thursday morning last week.

Twelve others suffered minor injuries and two later needed hospital treatment after the top of a double-decker school bus on its way to Henry Beaufort School was ripped off as it hit the bridge.

Winchester’s MP Steve Brine organised the meeting between the school, the police, Hampshire County Council and bus company Stagecoach to try to understand what happened and hear an update on the investigation.

Hampshire Chronicle:

The meeting this morning. Image: Steve Brine

Mr Brine told the Chronicle: “I promised last week the urgent search for answers wouldn’t hang around and we’ve wasted no time. We all need to know how this happened and what needs to happen now.

“There is no doubt this bus was on the wrong route, but we need to know why. The police investigation will find that out. Furthermore, there are clearly issues with the timetabling of this service out in the Itchen Valley and I want a speedy resolution of them because my hunch is they’re symptomatic of a home school transport contract that has been found wanting here."

Speaking previously, Detective Constable Cate Paling, senior investigating officer, said: “This was a serious collision and our investigation will look to identify the exact circumstances.

“We have been working closely with the school and Hampshire County Council to provide support to the students and their parents. We thank everyone for their cooperation.”

Anyone with information about the collision is being asked to call 101 quoting 44200349165.