TWO school coaches carrying 45 children were involved in a collision this morning.

None of the children were seriously hurt.

However, one 16-year-old girl had a minor head injury and shock and was taken to hospital by ambulance as a precaution.

Other children, all from the Ingleby Barwick area heading to Conyers School, Yarm, were also taken by parents for checks. Some had neck pain and minor bumps and many were in shock.

The incident occurred at about 8.37am on Leven Bank, Yarm when one bus collided with the rear of another. All of the children were aged between 11 and 18.

Executive headteacher, John Morgan, was quickly at the scene and said staff had managed to contact all but one child's parents by mid-morning.

He explained that a replacement bus took the children into the nearby school where they were all checked over.

He said: "The scene was very calm, the police were quickly at the site and blocked off the road.

"The switchboard was jammed with parents and I can understand that. When I got the call it was a worry and I was the same."

Mr Morgan said a number of parents had come to the school. He added that it appeared a car had stopped to turn right which had caused the first coach to stop.

Stockton South Conservative MP James Wharton said the accident showed there was safety issue and a new school should be built in Ingleby Barwick.

He said: “It is lucky there were no serious injuries on this occasion and I’m pleased there were no serious injuries, but the incident underlines the need to stop sending so many children down Leven Bank every day. "It is a narrow and congested road with the new houses by the river adding to the risks.

"This makes the case for Ingleby Barwick’s new free school all the stronger. Campaigners have raised concerns about Leven Bank time and time again and part of the solution must be educating children closer to home.

"The road is just about coping now but unless we address the future needs of Ingleby Barwick’s growing numbers of school age children it could become a real problem.”

There were serious traffic queues through on the heavily congested road while police dealt with the collision.

Were you involved? Email newsdesk@nne.co.uk or call Chris Webber on 01325-505065