POLICE investigating last week's fatal bus crash have renewed their appeal for witnesses.

Investigators have yet to find a witness who saw exactly what happened when a service bus and a coach collided head-on at Newfield, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, late last Wednesday afternoon.

Bus driver Gordon Hutchinson, 58, of Chester-le-Street, was killed and coach driver Jack Hall, 50, of Stanley, is still critically ill in Newcastle General Hospital and has not regained consciousness.

Two female bus passengers suffered minor injuries and a third passenger, 69-year-old Frank Bourne, of Pelton Fell, is comfortable in Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital.

The 70-seater coach, which had been on a school run for Durham County Council, was returning to depot and was empty when the accident happened at 4pm in North View.

Inspector Ken Cook, who is leading the investigation, said his officers had spoken to several people who helped in the aftermath of the crash, but had not heard from anyone who actually saw the crash.

"We have spoken to the three passengers who remember hearing a loud bang, but they did not actually see what happened,'' he said.

"And although the road usually has a reasonable amount of traffic, so far it would seem there were no other vehicles in the vicinity at the time of the collision.

"Our enquiries into the cause of this tragedy are continuing and we would urge anyone who saw the vehicles collide to contact us." Anyone who can help should call the Collision Investigation Unit on 0191-375 2159.