Grandma was almost ‘crushed to death’ by reversing holiday coach

Patricia Hill said she thought she was going to die when a bus mounted the pavement and squashed her against a wall on Providence Street, behind Wakefield Bus Station.

The driver realised his error when Mrs Hill’s husband Roy frantically banged on the side of the vehicle, which stopped just in time.

Mrs Hill, of Northgate, Horbury, was waiting for another coach to take them on a three-night Peak District break.

The 88-year-old grandmother, who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), escaped with cuts and bruises, but spent most of her holiday in bed recovering.

She said: “I thought it was the end and that was it as the coach wasn’t stopping. I was on the pavement waiting and before I could do anything a coach had me pinned to the wall and it wouldn’t stop. I am still in shock and keep thinking about it.”

Mr Hill, 83, who has terminal prostate cancer, added: “I am so glad I have still got her as I thought the coach wasn’t going to stop. I really thought she was going to die.

“The after shock was terrible and her holiday was ruined. I feel a fatal accident will happen due to the small space in which the coaches have to park and reverse.”

The coach that squashed Mrs Hill at around 9.20am on Monday, August 26, was provided by National Holidays, which is investigating the incicent.

Commercial director Martin Lock said: “We would again express our apologies to Mrs Hill. It is unfortunate that the official coach holiday departure point from Wakefield that is used by many thousands of National Holidays clients and also other coach operators is very often heavily congested with a high volume of cars, taxis, coaches and holidaymakers in a very restricted area which is difficult to access.

“The local council has been approached in regard to these facilities on a number of occasions with alternative proposals and we sincerely hope that a safer and more appropriate solution can be found.”