British Teens Hurt In Canada Crash

A group of British teenagers have been injured after a coach collision in Canada.

The group from Lancashire are Explorer Scouts, aged between 14 and 18, and were making their way to Toronto when the incident happened near Lindsay, Ontario, on Thursday.

The injured were all taken to hospital - including a teengage girl who was detained in hospital overnight - but her condition is not thought to be life threatening.

The 16 injured suffered, cuts, bruises, whiplash and shock.

A spokeswoman at Ross Memorial hospital, in Lindsay, said all the patients have been given X-rays and CT scans to determine the extent of their injuries.

Simon Carter, of the Scout Association, told Sky News that the injured passengers were part of a group of 102 scouts and leaders from west Lancashire.

They have been on an adventure trip to Canada for about a week.

Mr Carter said "they were travelling back to Toronto in two coaches - they were about 150 miles away".

"One of the coaches was involved in a crash with what appears to be an articulated lorry.

"The emergency services were on the scene exceptionally quickly," he added.

It is understood that 11 ambulances and three fire crews attended the scene.

City of Kawartha Lakes Constable Mark Boileau is reported as saying "it appears it's a head-on collision between the two vehicles," and "as a result the bus entered a ditch".

Canadian police said the crash happened on Highway 35 in eastern Ontario after heavy rain.

Local journalist Jason Bain told the BBC "there were several thunderstorms passing through the area at the time" and "it had been raining quite hard".

The Foreign Office said: "We can confirm there has been a bus crash that involves British nationals in Ontario. We are offering consular assistance."

(DS)