Dulcie Lee
Live reporter

A 14-year-old girl and the driver of a bus have died after a coach full of schoolchildren overturned on the M53 motorway in Merseyside this morning.

Two children remain in hospital with serious injuries, while eight others were taken to two separate hospitals for treatment.

Many details are still unknown, including the victims' names, the condition of some of the children in hospital, and the cause of the incident.

The bus, which was taking students to West Kirby Grammar School and Calday Grange Grammar School, crashed shortly after 08:00.

Image source, .

For now, the M53 remains closed both ways between junction four and five, and police are urging the public not to speculate about the crash.

We're ending our live updates now - but you can read the latest in our main story, which we'll be updating here.

Today's page was brought to you by Sam Hancock, Ece Goksedef, Jenny Coleman, Paul Burnell and Emily Atkinson.

The scene of the crash is still cordoned off, with the M53 shut in both directions between junction five (Hooton) and junction four (Bebington).

Police officers have also taped off a bridge which runs over the motorway close to the crash site.

Image source, EPA

Image source, PA Media

If you're travelling in the area this evening, you can find out more about local diversions from National Highways here, external.

Councillor Paul Stuart, the leader of Wirral Council, says the authority is providing support to schools and families following the fatal school bus crash on the M53.

"This is a heart-breaking day and my deepest condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy," he says.

"Schools are very close-knit communities and I know this will be devastating for all those affected."

He says the council will do whatever it can to help.

Merseyside Police confirm no other vehicle was involved in the fatal school bus crash.

They earlier said a 14-year-old girl and a coach driver died after the school bus struck a reservation on the M53 shortly after 08:00 BST.

The bus had been taking pupils to Calday Grange Grammar School in West Kirby and West Kirby Grammar School at the time.

Flight restrictions affecting drones and helicopters have been imposed in Bebington, Wirral, to allow emergency services to respond to this morning's collision, Merseyside Police say.

A temporary airspace restriction has been in place from 12:55 BST, meaning it's an offence for any aircraft to fly below 3,500ft (1067m) above sea level in a designated area without the explicit police permission.

Here's the area covered by the restriction:

Image source, Merseyside Police

Full details of the restrictions are available on the Civil Aviation Authority website, external.

Image source, PA Media

• A bus was taking students to two schools in Merseyside - Calday Grange Grammar School and West Kirby Grammar School - this morning
• With 54 people on board, the school bus overturned on the M53 motorway around 08:00 on the Wirral

• The driver and a 14-year-old schoolgirl died in the crash
• Eight other people were taken to the hospitals - two have serious injuries
• Other children witnessed the crash, as they were travelling on other buses

Amid political reaction to the crash, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the 14-year-old schoolgirl and bus driver who were killed.

"My heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragic accident on the Wirral this morning," he writes on X, external, formerly known as Twitter, adding: "Unimaginably sad news."

Image source, PA Media

Local MPs in the area - who belong to Starmer's party - have also spoken out since a police news conference, which we covered a little earlier.

Margaret Greenwood, for Wirral West, says her "thoughts and deepest sympathies are with [the victims'] families and friends, and all those affected".

Alison McGovern, for Wirral South, adds that the area has lost one of its "precious young people" - describing it as "incredibly hard to bear". She also urges people not to speculate about what had happened.

A little earlier, police said the M53 motorway is expected to be closed for "a number of hours whilst investigative work is carried out".

National Highways, which is responsible for maintaining and improving motorways in England, has issued some advice for those travelling in the area.

The M53 in Merseyside is closed in both directions between J5 (Hooton) and J4 (Bebington).

For northbound diverted traffic, the agency says drivers should:

• Exit the M53 northbound at J5
• At the roundabout, take the first exit onto the A41 southbound (New Chester Road)
• At the B5133 junction, turn right onto the B5133 westbound (Hooton Road)
• At the junction with the B5151, turn right and join the B5151 northbound (Birkenhead Road)
• Continue to then re-join the M53 at J4

And for southbound traffic:

• Exit the M53 southbound at J4
• Take the third exit at the roundabout onto the B5151 southbound (Mount Road)
• At the junction with the B5133, turn left onto the B5133 eastbound (Neston Road)
• Continue onward and then at the junction with the A41, turn right and join the A41 New Chester Road northbound
• Continue to then re-join the M53 southbound at J5

Here's Chief Supt Graeme Robson, of Merseyside Police, announcing that there had been two deaths following the crash.

The 14-year-old girl and driver of the bus who were killed have not yet been named.

Image source, Reuters

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has spoken out for a second time today - she's offering her "deepest condolences" to the families of the two people killed in the "devastating" bus crash this morning.

Police have announced that those killed were a 14-year-old schoolgirl and the driver of the bus after it overturned on the M53 motorway.

"We will continue to support the schools and the local authority as they deal with this tragedy," Keegan said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, repeating some of her earlier remarks.

Mick Whitley, the MP for Birkenhead, says the community in the Wirral will come together to support families after police confirmed two people had died in this morning's bus crash.

"It's an absolute tragedy what has happened," the Labour MP says.

"People on the Wirral look after one another.

"Our heartfelt condolences go to families."

Merseyside Police, and other emergency services, have finished speaking to journalists at Birkenhead Town Hall. They were giving an update following a school bus crash in the Wirral this morning.

Here's what we learnt:

• Two people - a 14-year-old schoolgirl and the driver of the bus - have died after the vehicle overturned on the M53
• Ch Supt Graeme Robson said eight other children were taken to the Countess of Chester and Arrowe Park Hospitals - and others were treated at the scene
• In total, 54 people were travelling on the bus and family liaison officers are supporting the families of those affected
• Children, travelling on other buses in what was described as a "coach convoy", witnessed the incident
• Two more patients are in hospital with serious injuries, Joanna Clague, of the North West Ambulance Service, added
• Other patients with minor injuries were taken to surrounding hospitals and are receiving treatment

Simone White, representing the local council, is up next - she offers her "sincerest condolences" to everyone affected by this "tragic accident".

She says the council's focus and the focus of the schools "is in supporting the school and wider community, who would all have been affected by this incident".

And that's the end of the presser - the panel are not taking questions from the journalists present.

Thomas, of Merseyside Fire and Rescue, concludes by saying that the service's thoughts are with "friends, colleagues and families of all those involved in this terrible incident".

Next up, the director of North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) Joanne Clague says NWAS declared a major incident due to the potential number of casualties.

"A further two patients were taken to Alder Hey Children's hospital with serious injuries," she says.

Other patients with minor injuries were taken to surrounding hospitals, she adds.

We're now hearing from Mark Thomas, the area manager of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

He says firefighters worked with emergency service colleagues and assisted casualties from the coach.

Robson goes on to say that other children, travelling on other buses, witnessed the incident.

The section of the M53 motorway where the crash took place is expected to be closed for a number of hours, he says.

Robson says eight other children were taken to the Countess of Chester and Arrowe Park Hospitals - and other children were treated at the scene.

Family liaison officers are supporting the families, he adds.

Some 54 people were travelling on the school bus.

Two people have died after a school bus overturned on the M53 this morning, chief superintendent Graeme Robson says, kicking off the news conference.

He adds that those killed were a 14-year-old schoolgirl and the driver of the bus.

Rebecca Wearn
Reporting from Birkenhead Town Hall

Members of both the press and the emergency services are gathering at Birkenhead Town Hall on the Wirral in Merseyside.

We're here to listen to the latest on the coach crash - we're expecting them to start soon.

We're about to hear an update from Merseyside Police, and other emergency services, who've been involved in dealing with the aftermath of the crash.

The news conference will be held by the force's head of local policing for the Wirral, Ch Supt Graeme Robson, at Birkenhead Town Hall.

He'll be joined by:

• Joanne Clague of North West Ambulance Service, Cheshire and Merseyside
• Mark Thomas of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

There may be a couple of other speakers too.

As ever, we'll bring you live updates when it gets under way - and you can watch along by clicking the Play button at the top of this page.