ONE of the parents of the pupils killed in the M40 accident has thrown her weight behind the new initiative by BUSK.

Liz Fitzgerald, whose daughter, Claire, died aged 13 along with 11 other pupils from Hagley RC High School in 1993, said the scheme was "immensely valuable".

Mrs Fitzgerald, who with husband Steve launched the Bramble's Trust to help children through the trauma of bereavement, said of the BUSK training scheme: "It's a very, very high-level package which is to be commended to any drivers who drive young people or adults."

And she said while it was important children should have the opportunity to enjoy extra-curricular activities, parents whose children would be travelling by coach or minibus needed to inquire about safety.

"We would ask parents to recognise the value of their children and to ask questions and to be quite certain as to what they're being offered in the way of assurances," she added.