Minibus victim relives terror

ROYTON pub licensee Mark Dwayre has described the horrific moment in which a minibus containing 12 passengers spun out of control and ended on a grass embankment on the M62 in West Yorkshire.

Everyone on the bus was injured, two seriously, and several needed to be airlifted to hospital by helicopter.

Mr Dwayre (42), who runs the White Hart, was one of 12 men who had been on a weekend-long stag party taking in York races and an evening in Newcastle.

The driver of the minibus was also a member of the party which had been celebrating the impending wedding of Tonge Bowling Club player Thomas Dobson.

Mr Dwayre said: “We were travelling back from Newcastle the following afternoon and were just coming off the M1 on to the M62 when it felt as though a gust of wind had hit the bus.

“The bus drifted to the right and then back to the left and I thought we were going to hit a lamp-post which seemed to be coming straight towards us, so I shut my eyes. We must have missed the lamp-post, but the bus spun round and I was knocked out. The next thing I remember is coming round on the grass with a window frame around my neck.

“I must have been thrown clear by the impact, but the police told us that the minibus flipped over once or perhaps twice. It seems a tyre suffered a blow-out.

“The whole thing was surreal. You hear and read about these things on the news, but don’t imagine it will happen to you.”

Mr Dwayre, who sustained two broken ribs and facial injuries, was taken by ambulance, along with six of his friends, to Leeds General Infirmary. The other five went to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

Mr Dwayre, a former Tonge BC player and a close friend of Mr Dobson, was one of several crown green bowlers on the weekend outing.

Mr Dobson, who had been due to marry girl friend Hayley Ryan on Saturday week, sustained a broken ankle and cuts to his back.

Two of his bowling friends, Nicky Brooks and Andrew Lowe — both of whom have connections with Tonge BC — were badly hurt and underwent operations on broken bones.

Hayley’s father, Tommy (58), is in a serious condition with multiple injuries, while the driver of the vehicle is also one of the worst casualties.