Mother suffers ‘life-altering injuries’ after mini-bus crash on M1

Six children escaped uninjured from the wreckage of this minibus. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

The white Renault Traffic collided with the central reservation of the northbound carriageway between junctions 37 at Dodworth and 38 at Woolley at 4.35am today. The road was closed for several hours before re-opening this morning.

South Yorkshire Police say five of the six children in the car, aged between four months and nine years, suffered only cuts and bruises.

But a four-year-old boy suffered a broken arm and the children’s mother, a 33-year-old woman from Leeds, suffered “potentially life-altering injuries to her arm”.

Another adult in the vehicle, a 19-year-old man from Leeds, suffered serious injuries, while the children’s father, a 33-year-old man from Leeds, was unhurt.

All of those injured were taken to hospital in West Yorkshire for treatment.

The Highways Agency closed the road while investigations into the cause of the crash are carried out.

Emergency services found a minibus, which had been carrying a group of children, on its side.

The youngsters and one adult had managed to get out before police officers, paramedics and firefighters arrived, while another adult had to be cut free from the bus.

Witnesses should call South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 127 of Wednesday 25 June 2014.