Holidaymakers evacuated after coach catches fire in Cornwall

The coach was destroyed but no passengers were hurt and all the luggage was undamaged

Thirty holidaymakers were evacuated from a coach after it caught fire on the A30 in Cornwall.

Firefighters were called to the coach fire near Altarnun, between Bodmin and Launceston, at about 12:10 BST.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the tourists were travelling from Nottingham to Cornwall, and that no injuries were reported.

National Highways confirmed the westbound lanes on the A30 between the A395 and the A389 had since reopened.

Police said passengers were transferred to another coach for their onward journey.

Ch Supt Ben Deer said: "The holiday coach is obviously heading further down into Cornwall and unfortunately the coach has caught fire.

"Luckily, the driver has been able to get safely into the lay-by and we've been able to get all of the passengers off safely."

The coach was carrying passengers from Nottingham to Cornwall

National Highways said there was about two miles of congestion near the scene.

Ch Supt Deer said the driver pulled over when smoke started coming out of the engine.

He said: "That gave him time to pull over and the passengers got off quickly, and there's no harm done to to any of them.

"The gutted carcass of the coach was testament to the ferocity of the blaze which amazingly left luggage undamaged apart from the effects of water from the fire service."

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service and Devon and Cornwall Police were in attendance alongside National Highways traffic officers.