More photos from the scenepublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 17 July
Police are allowing our reporters to slowly move up the road. Here's some more photos from the latest cordon.
Summary
A ten-year-old boy has died after a coach returning from a school trip crashed in Exmoor, Somerset
The coach was carrying up to 70 people, many of them pupils from Minehead Middle School, when it flipped onto its roof and slid down a bank yesterday afternoon
Six other children remain in hospital - two at the Bristol Children's hospital and four in Somerset
Three adults are also being treated in hospital in Somerset, police say
The trust which runs the school says it is "devastated", while tributes and flowers are being left outside the grounds
Minehead Middle School and five other schools are shut today and the A396 at Cutcombe Hill is also closed
Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls the incident "heartbreaking" and sends his condolences to the families affected
More photos from the scenepublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 17 July
Parents asked to wait at Minehead Middle Schoolpublished at 19:22 British Summer Time 17 July
A number of people are at the school, our reporter Chris Lockyer says.
Police have asked parents to gather there.
Children 'returning from zoo trip'published at 19:06 British Summer Time 17 July
It is thought the children were returning from a trip to Exmoor Zoo when the bus crashed.
On its website, Minehead Middle School said year five pupils were due to visit the zoo as part of its “Enrichment Week” activities.
'Upset and distressed' parents wait at schoolpublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 17 July
Chris Lockyer
BBC News, West of EnglandAt the schools, there are a number a parents deeply upset and distressed, being ushered away by police officers.
There is a row of cars outside the school too, as well as police cars.
What we know so farpublished at 18:53 British Summer Time 17 July
- A bus carrying pupils from Minehead Middle School left the road at about 15:00 BST close to the village of Wheddon Cross on Exmoor on Thursday
- Around 60 to 70 people were on board and police say a number of casualties have been taken to hospital
- Most passengers were taken to a rest centre set up at a pub in Wheddon Cross
- Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is receiving regular updates on the incident
'Emergency services working together'published at 18:42 British Summer Time 17 July
Ross Pollard
Somerset Reporter, BBC West
We've only arrived in the past few minutes. The police have closed the road. A lot of people are taking a diversion across other parts of Exmoor.
We've had a statement from police to say a major incident has been declared and emergency services are continuing to work together.
The police say the coach that crashed was carrying 60 to 70 people and was heading to Minehead Middle School at the time.
Air ambulance arrives in Bristolpublished at 18:41 British Summer Time 17 July
An air ambulance has landed at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, which is home to the West's major trauma centres.
Most passengers 'taken to rest centre in nearby pub'published at 18:33 British Summer Time 17 July
The majority of the passengers on the bus were taken to a pub in Wheddon Cross which is acting as a rest centre, police said.
Officers are working with Minehead Middle School to help them return to the school as soon as possible, and is asking parents to head to the school.
"The road remains closed. We’d please ask people avoid the area so emergency services’ response to this incident is not impacted," police said.
"We also ask for the public’s patience at this time. This is an ongoing incident and we will provide further updates as soon as they become available."
Major incident declared as coach crashes on way to schoolpublished at 18:26 British Summer Time 17 July
BreakingA major incident has been declared after a coach carrying schoolchildren crashed in Somerset.
The bus was carrying children from Minehead Middle School, Avon and Somerset Police said, and was carrying approximately 60 to 70 people and a number of casualties have been taken to hospital.
Transport Secretary 'aware of crash'published at 18:20 British Summer Time 17 July
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is receiving regular updates on the incident.
In a post on X, she said: "I'm aware of the serious incident involving a bus near Minehead, Somerset.
"My thoughts are with all those involved.
"The emergency services are on scene, and I am receiving regular updates on the situation."
'Hearts go out to pupils and driver'published at 18:12 British Summer Time 17 July
Peter Prior-Sankey, director of Ridlers, said: “We were made aware of an incident involving one of our 70-seater vehicles at about 3.15pm this afternoon, understood to have taken place as a group of school pupils were returning from a daytrip.
“We have since been liaising with both the school, and the emergency services, while we try to understand the extent of the incident.
“Everyone within the Ridlers team is of course deeply concerned and anxious to find out more detail – particularly concerning the welfare of the driver and passengers.
“While we wait for further information from police and other emergency teams, our hearts of course go out to the school pupils and to our driver.
“We will be doing everything possible to understand what has happened.”
Coach was carrying schoolchildren, operator sayspublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 17 July
BreakingA coach which crashed near Minehead in Somerset earlier on Thursday was bringing children back from a daytrip, the coach operator has said.
Multiple emergency vehicles at scenepublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 17 July
Chris Lockyer
BBC News in Wheddon CrossI’m still here waiting to be allowed towards Wheddon Cross around a mile and a half out. I’ve been stopped by police who say they can’t tell me anything.
Since being here I’ve seen police cars leave and enter the site - marked and unmarked, as well as fire engines, search and rescue, and ambulances leaving the scene.
Lots of traffic is being diverted through the single lanes of Exmoor this evening.
Update from policepublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 17 July
Avon and Somerset Police said at 17:47 BST: "Emergency services remain at the scene in response to this incident.
"We are working closely with ambulance and fire colleagues and will continue to provide updates. The road remains closed and we'd please ask people avoid the area."
Devon Air Ambulance lands in Bristolpublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 17 July
The Devon Air Ambulance has left the scene and landed at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Location of the incidentpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 17 July
The bus left the road to the north of the village of Wheddon Cross, which is on the eastern edge of Exmoor.
What we know so farpublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 17 July
- A bus or a coach left the road near the village of Wheddon Cross, Exmoor, at about 15:00 BST on Thursday
- Firefighters have been working to free passengers trapped in the vehicle, and crews from 11 stations have been deployed
- The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has left the scene and landed in Bristol
- Emergency services have yet to release information on the number of casualties or the level of injuries
At the scenepublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 17 July
Chris Lockyer
BBC News in Wheddon CrossI'm around a mile and a half away from the incident in Wheddon Cross.
On the way in, I saw around half a dozen ambulances coming away from the incident and half a dozen police cars going to the incident.
As I've been parked up, lots more emergency vehicles are being let through the cordon.
Some residents are saying they need to be let through to go home and see their children but at the moment police are holding firm.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance heads to Bristol from the scenepublished at 17:34 British Summer Time 17 July
The air ambulance for Dorset and Somerset has landed at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, according to its flight path information.
Fire crews sent from across South Westpublished at 17:32 British Summer Time 17 July
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has deployed crews from across the south west to the scene.
Vehicles from Ilfracombe, Tiverton, Witheridge, Middlemoor, Clyst St George, Taunton, Bridgwater, Dulverton, Glastonbury, Minehead and Williton are attending, according to the fire service's website.