School Coach Runs Into A36 Ditch; Minor Injuries

A school coach carrying 29 pupils and four teachers left the southbound carriageway of the A36 near the Ower roundabout (junction 2 of the M27) while travelling from the Bristol area and ran into a roadside ditch. The incident was a single-vehicle crash; none of the children were injured, one teacher suffered a minor leg injury treated at the scene, and the driver sustained minor injuries. Police, ambulance crews and Hampshire & Isle of Wight fire crews attended, informed the school and contacted parents, and are facilitating recovery of the vehicle. The southbound A36 was closed between the Ower roundabout and junction 2 of the M27 for several hours, with motorists advised to avoid the area and expect disruption. Hampshire Constabulary described the incident as complex and said enquiries are ongoing.