A FIRE brigade chief who attended the fatal accident site described it as "a scene of horror".

Chris Bunce, divisional officer with Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said appliances from his brigade received a call to attend at 10.57pm and went to assist others firefighters from the Berkshire brigade soon after the crash.

"We were told a coach had overturned on the motorway," said Mr Bunce,

"Berkshire sent two appliances plus a rescue vehicle. Then Bucks sent two appliances plus an operational support unit."

The support unit carried rescue equipment that was used to free injured passengers and the bodies of those who had died.

The Buckinghamshire crews arrived at 11.04pm, before any ambulances were at the scene.

Mr Bunce said his Berkshire firefighting colleagues "were met with a scene of horror", adding: "When they arrived they were met by numerous people walking around, dazed, injured or very injured and still they said there were about a dozen people inside the coach."

They spent half an hour rescuing two trapped passengers, who were still alive, using heavy cutting equipment. The rescue crews' task was made more difficult by the fact the coach was on its side and seats were in the way.

Mr Bunce said when he arrived at 11.36pm: "There were still many injured people at the side of the motorway being attended by ambulance paramedics.

"By that time," he explained, "the two living casualties had been removed from the coach. We were very aware at that time of the five fatalities."

Mr Bunce added: "We released the last fatality at 1.30am." The last fire and rescue vehicle left the accident scene at 3.30am.

Mr Bunce said: "Certainly, personally speaking, it's the largest incident I have dealt with, as far as casualties are concerned." He went on: "It was the sheer numbers of people involved that made the initial stages of the incident difficult."