Thirty-nine hurt as coaches crash

Thirty-nine elderly people on a religious pilgrimage have been injured in a crash between two coaches near RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

Ambulance officials declared a major incident as people were taken to hospital with various injuries although none are thought to be life-threatening.

Two helicopters were also deployed by the RAF to help take people from the scene of the crash, which happened at about 1245 BST on Sunday.

The coaches were travelling in convoy when they collided on the A17.

The coaches were travelling in convoy

It is understood the coaches were from Stockport and were taking 50 passengers to visit the Roman Catholic National Shrine in Walsingham, Norfolk.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Ambulance Service said 16 vehicles were used to taken people to hospital.

He described both coaches as being "fully laden".

Nineteen people have been taken to Pilgrim hospital in Boston, 19 casualties to Lincoln County Hospital and one to Grantham.

Most of them have minor head injuries, whiplash and cuts and bruises.