A bin lorry driver has admitted killing a 14-year-old girl in a crash with a coach carrying students on a school trip.

Nicholas Buck pleaded guilty to causing the death of Holly Brown by dangerous driving shortly before a jury was due to be sworn in to try the case at Birmingham Crown Court.

The 52-year-old, of Kingshurt Way, Kingshurst, Birmingham, had previously admitted the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving following the accident on July 7 last year.

Buck, who has a conviction from 2014 for driving without due care and attention, was told he should be under no illusions that a prison sentence is inevitable.

Schoolgirl Holly Brown ballet dancing
Holly Brown died when the bus she was travelling in was hit by a bin lorry (West Midlands Police/PA)

Adjourning sentence until November 9 and granting unconditional bail, Judge Avik Mukherjee told Buck: “I am sure you understand you have pleaded guilty to a very serious offence.

“I cannot see any alternative other than a custodial sentence for this offence but the court needs to know more about you before I can sentence you.

“It is in many ways an act of mercy to grant bail but it is certainly not any indication from me or the court generally that you will receive a non-custodial sentence.”

Holly was among 21 students from a school in Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire, when the collision occurred on the A38 Kingsbury Road in Castle Vale, Birmingham.

The teenager, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was one of a party of pupils and teachers travelling to a field trip when the crash occurred at about 9am.

The facts of the case were not opened by prosecutor James Dunstan, who told the judge that the family of the deceased were in court to hear Buck’s guilty plea.