Crash victims' lucky escape

Patients were rushed to Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Chester

A hospital consultant who treated the injured after a coach and a lorry collided in Wrexham said he was surprised more people were not killed.

The accident happened just after midnight on the A483 bypass, and is believed to have been caused as the coach tried to swerve to avoid a pedestrian, named as Simon Vernon, on the dual carriageway.

The 20-year-old from Brymbo near Wrexham was killed instantly.

"It could have been much messier and much worse with the kind of injuries I would've expected with that kind of impact," said Aruni Sen, A&E consultant at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Five people were cut out of the coach and 36 passengers, some with serious injuries, were taken to hospitals in Wrexham and Chester.

A&E consultant Aruni Sen dealt with the injured

Twenty one people were treated at Wrexham Maelor Hospital for shock and minor injuries.

One person has been kept in hospital, and is described as "comfortable".

A further three are in a serious condition at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Neither hospitals dispatched their mobile medical team.

Mr Sen said the majority of patients were "walking wounded".

The bus was across the Wrexham bypass

"There were three on trolleys, one lady had been kept in for wound management, the rest were discharged home after x-rays," he said.

"They had glass cuts, were very shook up and upset.

"I spoke to some of the people injured, a gentleman who was sat at the front of the bus told me about the impact from the truck and I knew that the coach was upside down so we were extremely lucky not to have any further injuries."

It is understood the passengers on the coach, who were employees of Dedicated Micros, a CCTV camera firm in Swinton, Manchester, were returning home after watching Shirley Bassey's concert at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

The dual carriageway was closed both ways between the Gresford turn off and the Mold Road turn off for more than 12 hours.

A number has been set up for people worried about relatives: 01492 518383.