Aston Soulsby tragedy: Boy struck by bus 'followed school friend across the road' inquest heard
A boy was struck by a bus in Wednesbury while following a school friend crossing the road, an inquest has heard.
Aston Soulsby of Carisbrooke Road in the town, died in hospital six days after the collision on nearby Crankhall Lane as he made his way home from school at 3.50pm on November 1.
Reading evidence from officers at the opening of the 12-year-old's inquest yesterday, senior coroner for the Black Country Mr Zafar Siddique said: "Aston was with a group of five other school children.
"It appears one of the group ran across the road, shortly followed by Aston.
"At the time a car was travelling away from the traffic island at Hall Green Road and a shuttle bus was travelling in the opposite direction towards the island.
"From the information available at this stage, Aston made it out from in front of the car but entered the next lane in front of the bus and then it collided with him."
The youngster was trapped under the bus and after going into cardiac arrest had to be resuscitated at the scene.
He was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital where he later died on November 7, with the initial cause given as hypoxic brain injury and cardiac arrest as a result of the collision.
The inquest heard that the bus driver is helping police with their inquiries, but as these are still ongoing the inquest has been adjourned until January 11.
