Lorry driver dies after M5 bus crash horror

A driver whose lorry hit the back of a coach on the M5 in thick fog, killing a passenger and injuring more than 40, has died in hospital.

Investigations were continuing today, with police attempting to work out why the bus had come to a halt minutes before the smash.

The lorry driver, a 65-year-old man from Somerset, died in Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Saturday night. A 35-year-old man from Smethwick, who has not yet been named, died at the scene of the accident.

It happened on Saturday between junction three for Halesowen and four for Lydiate Ash on Saturday.

Another passenger from the bus remains in a critical condition in hospital today.

The 49-year-old Birmingham driver of the bus was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and later released on police bail.

The bus was carrying more than 40 workers on their way to a fruit-packing farm in Evesham when the smash happened in dense fog shortly before 6.30am, closing the motorway for most of the day.

The lorry driver was driving for haulage firm Fowler Welch from Manchester to Devon when he hit the rear of the white single decker coach, forcing it to skid across the motorway near to the Frankley services. In a statement, the firm, based in Lincolnshire, said: "Our thoughts are with the family of our driver, the family of the other fatally injured individual, and all those involved in the accident."

Police received a 999 call at 6.12am on Saturday from a driver with concerns the coach had broken down.

David Adams, aged 53, a former car bodyshop worker of Pitchwood Close, Darlaston, said he narrowly missed the coach as he drove to Wales. He said: "It makes you think how fragile life is.

"You could barely see 100 yards in front of the car in the fog and I think anyone could have hit that coach if they were in the slow lane."