School bus, station wagon crash leaves 10 hurt

Nine children and a man were taken to hospital after a bus and a station wagon collided near Marton last night.

The crash happened at 6.18pm at the intersection of Pukepapa Road and Makirikiri Road.

None of the children was seriously hurt although one boy was believed to have been kept in hospital overnight for observation. The man, the driver of the station wagon, had to be freed from his vehicle and was taken to Whanganui Hospital where his condition was described as serious, but stable.

Inspector Ken Climo, of police central communications, said the bus was carrying 34 children and three teachers from a local Marton boarding school, who were returning from a trip to Wellington after competing in a cricket competition.

"The bus was travelling along Pukepapa Road toward Marton and, as it approached the intersection of Pukepapa and Makirikiri Roads, a silver station wagon that was travelling toward Turakina on Makirikiri Road also approached the intersection," he said.

Both roads had a 100km/h speed limit.

"It appears the driver and sole occupant of the station wagon has not stopped at the stop sign and continued through the intersection striking the side of the bus," Mr Climo said.

The impact caused the station wagon to spin around before going through a farm fence, while the bus was pushed to the left side of the road and almost into a drain.

"The driver was able to steer the bus away from the drain, but after losing a tyre the bus has gone through a farm fence into a paddock of maize," Mr Climo said.

The driver of the station wagon had to be freed from his vehicle by the Fire Service and was taken to Whanganui Hospital.

Nine children from the bus were taken by ambulance to hospital after suffering minor injuries including cuts and bruises.

Mr Climo said the headmaster of the school involved believed one boy may be kept in hospital overnight for observation but everyone else would be discharged.

The serious crash unit was investigating the crash.

- NZPA