High Peak dad ‘beyond proud’ as children performed first aid after New Mills bus crash

The 358 crashed, smashing the front windows of the bus completely at around 5.20pm on Saturday October, 31.

On the bus was Martin Buszard, his wife Helen along with his son Joseph, his girlfriend Jade King as well as daughter Poppy and her boyfriend Aidan Marriott.

Joseph, 21 is currently a student nurse with the RAF and Jade, 25 is a student nurse in the army.

Both Poppy and Aidan are first aiders in the Chapel-en-le-Frith Army Cadets.

Martin said: “Their training just kicked in and they were there sorting everyone out - I am beyond proud of all them.”

The family were heading to The Sycamore but as there were too many to fit in one car they decided to get the bus.

Martin said: “We had barely left the bus station and then there was a huge noise and we had crashed into Bartons - what used to be the old Co-op building.

“We’d hit the gas pipe and everyone was screaming at him to stop.

“Joe’s glasses were thrown by the impact and he couldn’t see but his training just kicked in and he made sure the driver isolated the engine then he started helping to treat people.”

Martin said first aid kits were secured from a nearby pub and Joe spoke to the driver and all the passengers and was the last person off the bus.

“Helen was really hurt; she couldn’t walk so I had to scoop her up and carry her down the stairs.

“I had cuts to my face and nose but she was hunched over in pain and struggling to breathe.

“It was so scary and such a blur as everything happened so quickly but for Joe and Jade and Poppy and Aidan who were all injured themselves - Aidan lost two of his teeth - they never stopped to think about themselves only how they could help others.”

Martin, who works in an estate agents says the medical side of their children is not something he can take credit for.

“When Joe was little he was always playing with first aid kits and he followed his dream and I’m so proud of him.

“And Poppy is just as brilliant.

“Her and Aidan dealt with a passenger suffering from a head wound and bandaged her up - I think she was from the front of the bus as she looked quite bad.

“Jade assisted in attending to the most severely injured casualties, including my wife and me.”

Martin says the fire brigade were first on the scene and Joe used their equipment to assist crews taking vital oxygen readings, including his own mum's, and continued until ambulances arrived.

Martin and Helen were separated from their children and were taken to Stepping Hill Hospital by ambulance and are now back home recovering.

Martin said: “We thought Helen had broken her ribs, it's abdominal soft tissue injuries and she is still in severe amounts of pain and very bruised.

“It was only after on the way back from the hospital that the adrenaline wore off and it hit me just how lucky we had all been.

“Young people often get a bad rep but the extraordinary composure, selflessness, and public service shown by these four young people deserves to be recognised by our local community and I’m so proud of all of them.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Constabulary said: The incident happened when a double decker bus collided with a building at the junction of Union Road and Market Street.

“Both of those roads, along with St Mary's Road, were closed and a cordon put in place around the scene.

“Overnight, the bus was recovered and the building was declared safe by a structural engineer.

“A number of people suffered minor injuries in the incident and were treated by paramedics at the scene.”

High Peak MP Jon Pearce has also expressed his relief following the incident.

He said: “I'm relieved to hear that everyone suffered only minor injuries.

“My best wishes to everyone affected by the incident, and a huge thank you to our emergency services and everyone involved in responding so quickly, making the area safe and getting the town centre back open.”

A Derbyshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson said crews from New Mills, Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Matlock with an Enhanced Rescue Appliance, attended the scene.

The 358 is a Bee Network Bus from Transport for Greater Manchester and a spokesperson said: “Whilst our priority is the immediate response, we will work with the operator to understand the exact circumstances.

“Our thoughts are with those who have been injured, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.”

Emergency gas supply repair team Cadent was also called to check the pipe that had been hit and a spokesperson said: “The service pipe is the pipe which carries gas into a building from the bigger main in the road.

“Our priority in an incident like this is to make sure everything associated with gas is made safe, which we have been able to do by isolating gas supply to just this damaged pipe.

“Our teams have checked all gas assets in the vicinity and there is no additional impact.”

Martin added: “That was the first time I caught a bus in more than ten years as I drive everywhere and I think it might be another ten years or more before I get on a bus again.

“Jokes aside, I just wanted to acknowledge the wonderful efforts of Joe, Jade, Poppy and Aidan and how they helped so many people.”