Our live coverage of this story is now finished. We'll have more updates here on Friday.

You can find the latest here.

Children involved in the coach crash were left "in shock beyond belief" a volunteer says.

Wheddon Cross resident Jill, who is chair of local village hall, says police and parents had been using its facilities, and residents are providing food and drink and tried to support children rescued from the bus.

"We've been giving them hugs and telling them how brave they've been. It's just really tragic for the parents and the children themselves.

"They are clearly in shock beyond belief. We are in shock too in the village."

Clare Moody, police and crime commissioner for Avon and Somerset Police, says: "This is a tragedy and my thoughts are truly with the families of all those involved and what they must be going through."

She adds: "The dedication of the emergency services means that the last thing on their minds today will be themselves but they will need support in the days ahead."

• One child has been killed when a coach carrying year five children from Minehead Middle School overturned on a remote road in Exmoor and slid 20ft (6.1m) down a bank
• A number of other people have been taken to hospital, some with serious injuries, including two children who travelled via air ambulance
• Between 60 to 70 people were on board, and an off-duty firefighter travelling in a car behind the coach worked to free passengers before emergency services arrived
• Many passengers suffered only minor injuries or were physically unharmed, and have been held at a rest centre based in a pub in Wheddon Cross, and work is ongoing to transport them back to Minehead
• A major incident was declared and a large number of emergency service personnel were deployed, including 60 firefighters, but the incident has since been stood down
• Police have asked the public not to speculate about the cause of the incident, and said an investigation will be carried out

The prime minister says "there are no adequate words to acknowledge the death of a child" after the announcement of the coach crash fatality.

In a post on X, Keir Starmer says: "All my thoughts are with their parents, family and friends, and all those affected. Thank you to the emergency workers who are responding at pace — I’m being kept up to date on this situation."

An off-duty firefighter was in a car driving behind the coach when it left the road, and got to work before rescue crews arrived.

Gavin Ellis, at the press conference, says: "I'm grateful to the off-duty firefighter who was travelling behind the coach at the point of the collision who was able to start taking immediate (action) to start releasing those casualties from the bus."

The coach came off a remote rural road and slid at least 20ft down a bank, the fire service says.

Gavin Ellis, Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, says: "We were mobilised to a major incident to a coach that had over turned onto its roof and slip approximately 20ft (6.1m) down an embankment."

He adds that eight fire engines, two specialist rescue vehicles and approximately 60 personnel had been deployed to the scene.

Wayne Darch, Deputy Director of Operations for South West Ambulance Service, outlines the scale of the medical response to the crash.

He says 20 double-crewed ambulances had been sent to the scene, along with three air ambulances and other units.

"Sadly one child was pronounced dead at the scene," he adds.

Paramedics treated many casualties at the scene, with 21 in total taken to hospital, two by helicopter.

Ch Supt Mark Edgington says the formal identification process of the dead child has begun, and that the child's parents are being supported by specialist officers.

He asks people not to speculate on the cause of the crash, saying it will only add to the distress of "the families, staff and the driver".

One child was killed in the accident, Avon and Somerset Police say.

Ch Supt Mark Edgington says that in addition a number of people have been taken to hospital with serious injuries including two children.

Some were taken via air ambulances while others taken by road ambulances.

Ch Supt Mark Edgington says one has died and others have been taken to hospital with injuries.

We are due to hear from:

• Avon and Somerset Police: Ch Supt Mark Edgington
• South Western Ambulance Service: Wayne Darch, Deputy Director of Operations

• Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service: Chief Fire Officer Gavin Ellis

Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, is in tears speaking to the BBC about the accident.

“Just imagine you’ve sent your children off on an end of term school trip and something like this happens,” she says.

"Details are fairly scarce at the moment and I don’t want to speculate but all I can say is that there have been several air ambulances out, police have been amazing.”

She continues: “We are a very, very close community and I know as a community we will come together and I’d like to express my thanks to the emergency services.

“The site of this accident is literally at the top of Exmoor, it’s a very, very difficult place to get to.”

Gilmour adds: "I imagine it was an end of year trip because they've worked hard and done well. They were all happy and in a way that makes it worse. Those poor children and their poor parents."

Our camera operator has managed to get some drone footage from the area of the crash.

Although you can't see the scene in this image, you can see the terrain in which the bus crashed. In this distance you can see some emergency vans parked in the distance on the A396.

A resident who lives near the site of the crash has described the incident as "horrendous".

The person, who did not wish to be named, says: “The coach has gone down the slope. It’s pretty steep around here and it’s a big coach.

“There are no barriers along there or anything. We [locals] are used to it, you don’t even notice it.

“I can’t believe it happened quite honestly, it’s the biggest thing I have known to go over the slope.

“It’s horrendous, and I’m just so sorry for all those kids on that coach.”

A police press conference will be held in the next hour, the BBC has been told.

Officers will speak to the media from a station in the Avon and Somerset area.

Image source, PA Media

The Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, has posted on X.

"I am shocked and saddened to hear of an incident involving a coach carrying school children in Minehead," she says.

"I would like to thank the emergency services for their continuing work in these challenging circumstances and my department stands ready to support the school community."

Beacon Education MAT, which Minehead Middle School is part of, has released a statement following the bus crash.

“We are working closely with the emergency services and relevant authorities following an incident this afternoon to support our pupils, families, and staff at this very difficult time," it says.

The trust runs six schools and four nurseries in Minehead and Williton.

Police are allowing our reporters to slowly move up the road. Here's some more photos from the latest cordon.

A number of people are at the school, our reporter Chris Lockyer says.

Police have asked parents to gather there.