Several dead after crash on the M1 at Newport Pagnell

Several dead after crash on the M1 at Newport Pagnell



Six men and two women have been killed in the M1 collision in Newport Pagnell and one man, one woman and a five-year-old girl are in hospital with life-threatening injuries, Thames Valley Police have said.

Police are grilling the lorry driver suspected of being over the limit after the minibus was squashed flat in a crash with two lorries, the deadliest motorway pile-up for 24 years.

A little girl who was pulled from the wreckage by a hero passerby is fighting for her life alongside two others after the incident which happened at 3.15am today in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Eight people travelling in the minibus died at the scene.

Some of those on board the minibus were visiting the UK from India and Thames Valley Police said this evening it's possible all eight people who were killed were from the same family.

Police say they are in touch with families living abroad. Chief Inspector Henry Parsons from the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, said: 'Our thoughts are very much with the families of those involved in this morning's collision, and we are currently working to locate and inform their next of kin.'

A passerby who stopped his taxi to help passengers in the stricken minibus on the M1 has described the scene as a 'warzone'.

ADHD charity advocate Brett Smith, 36, from Milton Keynes, said the minibus was 'filled with blood' when he reached it, and spoke of his horror as he held a girl's hand to comfort her.

The father-of-two, who himself has been involved in two horror smashes as a child, jumped in to help as he said 'it's what any parent would do'.

Mr Smith said: 'I could see everything. It was not pretty – it was a war zone. I was on my way home from an evening with my friends and I was in a taxi. We came across the incident and instinctively I said 'stop' so I could jump out and offer help.



'There was no emergency services there at the time. I rushed across to provide help and realised there was a little girl trapped inside.

'I heard her crying. She was probably only three-years-old, and she was the only child I could hear and talk to. I could see her face to face. I still see her now when I close my eyes.

'I think [the family] were from the same culture and trying to communicate with her. She was just traumatised.

'I promised the girl a McDonalds when the fire service turned up. They put some goggles on me and put boards up to protect me and the child.'



Mr Smith added: 'When they got the main part of the minibus cut away the firefighters took over and thanked me. I remember the fire service were going to give me a can of coke to help deal with the shock. I'm still shaking now.

'I requested a high vis jacket as I was also feeling cold. But I was mainly thinking about the girl. The police were trying to take my details but I wanted to make sure the child was okay.

'I was told by the fire crew who assisted that the girl was fine and alive and well.

'I didn't get her name - I'm completely in the dark. I really feel for the family. There were so many members in one vehicle.'



Brett Smith earlier said he gave the little girl his jacket to keep her warm and described the upsetting scene.

He said: 'A family has been destroyed. I held a little girl by her arms, trapped inside a vehicle, for a good hour or so with the emergency services and the fire service trying to help.

'I walked home with a blanket that the ambulance service provided me to stay warm because the little girl has got my jacket to keep herself safe. The fire and ambulances services did a really good job.'

Mr Smith posted a Facebook Live video from the scene of the crash discussing how he tried to helped the crash victim. He also wrote on social media how he was 'overwhelmed with emotion but must carry on'.

Police confirmed the little girl was now fighting for her life in hospital as they hold two men in custody for questioning.

The fatal crash was the deadliest pile-up since 1993, when 12 schoolchildren and their teacher died in a minibus accident on the M40.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said earlier: 'A 31-year-old man from Worcestershire has been arrested on suspicion of one count of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of driving a motor vehicle when alcohol level above limit.



'Also a 53-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent arrested on suspicion of one count of causing death by dangerous driving. They are both currently in custody.'

'All of the deceased were travelling in the minibus. The four taken to hospital were also travelling in the minibus of whom one is a child,' added Thames Valley police, saying that the vehicle was believed to have travelled from the Nottingham area.

The minibus had been hired by an Indian family travelling from Hyson Green in Nottingham to Wembley in North-West London. From there, the 11 passengers were due to go on a coach journey around Europe, according to friends.

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