Family of seven injured in holiday bus crash

Danielle said the scene was like "something from a warzone"

Seven members of the same family were injured when a tour bus overturned on a day trip during a holiday in Turkey.

The family was among a group of 11 from Blackpool who were in the vehicle when it crashed in the Manavgat region on Thursday.

Vinny Carlton-Simons, 43, had to have surgery to put 10 pins in his legs.

Mr Carlton-Simons’ wife, Danielle, described the scene after the crash as "like a warzone".

She told the BBC her six-year-old son, Reggie, was hanging out of the window at the moment the vehicle went over, but she managed to pull him back in.

All 11 of the group from Blackpool were injured in the crash

Smoke

As the vehicle lay on its side, her 19-year-old brother Bobby convinced her to hand over the boy, warning her she was "covered in oil" and smoke was starting to pour from the engine.

Danielle, 40, was part of a group that included her mother Laura, 59, her daughter Saisha, 20, and Saisha’s boyfriend Kacper Zielinski, 24.

Danielle’s son Kai, 16, was also on the trip and, along with Bobby, helped to rescue people from the crashed vehicle.

The day trip on Thursday was the first day the group – which also included family friends and neighbours - had all been out together.

They were on their way to the zoo when the crash happened.

Danielle said there had been no seatbelts on the vehicle, which was carrying 16 tourists in total, and that she had been told by the driver that the brakes had failed.

The vehicle came to rest on its side against a lamppost.

Trauma

The group were on holiday in Turkey when the vehicle they were travelling on overturned

When ambulances arrived, the group were taken to three different hospitals for treatment, and Danielle said she had not yet been able to make contact with her friends.

Her husband Vinny’s mother has flown out from the UK to be with him.

Danielle, a trainee trauma counsellor, said she believed the only reason son Reggie was alive was because he had asked to swap seats with Vinny moments before the tour began.

“He would have been under the vehicle if he hadn’t been sitting next to me,” she said.

Danielle added: "I just can't believe it's happened to us."

The family is hoping to return to the UK in the coming days.

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCSDO) said it was in touch with the family.

The spokesman added: “We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals following an incident in Turkey, and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Danielle Carlton-Simons said her husband Vinny was seriously hurt in the crash