Driver who died after M53 coach crash was a ‘loving husband and father’
The grief-stricken family of the bus driver who died in the M53 coach crash have paid tribute to a ‘loving husband and father’. Stephen Shrimpton, 40, tragically passed away after the coach he was driving struck a reservation near junction five of the M53 and overturned[1] just after 8am yesterday (September 29).
Schoolgirl Jessica Baker, 15, also died as a result of the collision, with a major incident declared and a number of other casualties taken to hospital. Mr Shrimpton’s family have now issued a tribute, describing him as an ‘all round good guy’ who ‘always put others first’
Emergency services were called to reports of an overturned coach on the northbound M53 near to junction five at Hooton, Cheshire. The Carvers W3 coach was one of several coaches transporting pupils from the Chester and Ellesmere Port area to the prestigious West Kirby all-girls grammar school and Calday Grange all-boys grammar school, also in West Kirby, Merseyside.
READ:Boots to close 300 stores for good – full list of first 13 to go[2] Boots has said there are no proposed redundancies despite the plan to shut 300 stores
READ: First look inside Staffordshire’s new Poundland 18 days after Wilko shut[3] The branch is among the first to reopen
Within minutes of the crash, motorists reported seeing children beginning to clamber from the wreckage and gather at the side of the road. Air ambulances, police, paramedics and fire crews soon arrived to assess the scale of the incident and to determine how many casualties would need treatment.
Last night, a 14-year-old was said to have suffered ‘life-changing injuries’. n total 52 people – the majority of them children – were triaged at a medical training centre on the Wirral, and 39 of them were discharged as not needing further treatment. Another 13 were treated for minor injuries and later released.
Jessica Baker, 15, the teenage girl who died after a school coach crashed on the M53 motorway (Image: PA/Merseyside Police)
Stephen Shrimpton is understood to have lived in Chester with his wife and two children, aged eight and four.
A tribute to Mr Shrimpton issued by Merseyside Police on behalf of his family says: “Stephen sadly passed away in a traffic accident. Stephen was a loving husband and father to his wife and his wonderful children, a caring and thoughtful man who would always prioritise others over himself.
“Stephen will be sadly missed by all his friends and family. The family have requested privacy at this devastating time.”
The family of Jessica Baker have also requested that their privacy is respected at this time. Merseyside Police say that post mortems will be carried out next week to establish the causes of death.
The other casualties who were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries are all said by police to be in a stable condition.
A total of 58 people were involved in the crash, which happened on the M53 (Image: PA)
Police have also confirmed that an investigation into this incident is ongoing and they are still appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage.
Detective Sergeant Andy Roper, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “The thoughts of everyone at Merseyside Police remain with those who were affected by the tragic incident yesterday. The families of Stephen and Jessica are being supported by specially trained officers and we are working with both schools and Wirral and Cheshire West Councils to ensure the necessary trauma support is in place for the children who were affected.
“We continue to investigate the circumstances of this incident and we are appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident or have any information to please let us know. We also urge those who were driving near the incident to check your dashcam footage. Any information no matter how small could help the investigation.
“Motorists are also advised that the section of the M53 that was closed following the incident yesterday has now reopened.”
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to call the Matrix Serious Collision Investigation Unit on (0151) 777 5747 or [email protected][4] or contact @MerPolCC on Twitter or Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook quoting reference 23000944471.
A GoFundMe page for Mr Shrimpton’s family had raised nearly £11,000 by 1pm today (Saturday), with his sister-in-law Emily Church appealing to well-wishers to help support her sister and Mr Shrimpton’s “two young children who are now going to grow up without their beloved father.”
To support the GoFundMe appeal, visit here[5].
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References
- ^ five of the M53 and overturned (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Boots to close 300 stores for good – full list of first 13 to go (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ First look inside Staffordshire’s new Poundland 18 days after Wilko shut (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ [email protected] (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ visit here (gofund.me)
- ^ or click here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)