A MOTHER was killed alongside her 6-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter in a horror bus crash at a notorious “black spot”.
The shocking crash saw a double decker-bus collide head-first with two cars in North Yorkshire, around 2.20pm on Sunday.
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Three people died in a horror car crash in North YorkshireCredit: Glen Minikin
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A mother and two children were confirmed to be those who died in the tragedyCredit: Glen Minikin
The group were travelling down the A61 between South Stainely and Ripon, North Yorkshire, in a silver Vauxhall Meriva before the tragedy.
North Yorkshire Police say a blue Toyota Aygo also smashed into the bus but the two passengers inside emerged unscathed.
The bus driver was taken to hospital with leg injuries and some of their passengers were also treated for minor injuries.
It is the second fatal crash officers have raced to on that stretch of road in the last eight days.
A biker lost his life on August 26 on the same stretch of busy road, which weaves through countryside between Ripon and Harrogate.
The three victims are believed to be related with a gofundme page set up to pay tribute.
It has raised nearly £5,000 despite being created just a few hours ago.
A description read: “Following the recent events on Sunday of the tragic accident where a young girl has lost her mum, sister and brother which leaves her without any family.
“I have put this go fund me page together so we can raise some funds to help the young girl at this difficult time.”
The Holy Trinity Church in Ripon has also planned a dedicated service to a 35-year-old woman, 6-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl.
The service said that the three family members “were killed on Sunday lunchtime in a road accident on the A61.”
It mentions that a 16-year-old girl – who the gofundme page is understood to have been set up for – “was not with them in the car and has now lost all her immediate family”.
Locals said the Meriva may have been trying to perform an overtaking manoeuvre on a bend when tragedy struck.
A heroic off-duty firefighter and NHS occupational therapist desperately tried to perform life-saving resuscitation on the children as emergency services raced to the scene.
And a woman who lives nearby has told how her husband also tried to keep the victims alive.
She said: “There were terrible, terrible, catastrophic injuries in that first car.
“The bus, the front end, was so badly damaged. You can’t imagine the energy transfer to that tiny car.
“The fireman asked people to help keep the victims’ airwaves open.
“But once they realised the extent of the injuries all the focus was on trying to keep the young boy alive.
“The off-duty fireman checked the child and determined that he needed CPR right away. There was an occupational therapist in the crash who also helped.
“It was such a forceful stop that all the people on the bus scooted forward. There were lots of people on board but thankfully they weren’t seriously hurt.”
Residents today reiterated calls for council bosses to cut the speed limit on the A61 to 40mph.
One local, who asked not to be named, said: “The speed limit needs to come down. When we try to pull out onto the road it’s like taking your life in your hands.
“I have to put the windows down to listen to oncoming traffic because the visibility on the bend is so bad.
“All the time you hear cars screeching to brake.
“We’ve asked plenty of times for the speed limit to be cut but nothing has ever been done.
“You wonder how many more crashes there need to be before something is done.”
Cops are urging anyone with dashcam footage to come forward after the horror crash.
A North Yorkshire spokesperson said: “Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following a fatal collision near South Stainley in the Ripon area in which a woman and two children died.
“Sadly, all three occupants of the Vauxhall Meriva, a woman in her 30s, a teenage girl and a six-year-old boy, died following the collision. Their next of kin have been informed and are receiving specialist support.
“The driver of the bus was taken to hospital with leg injuries, some of the bus passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital, and the two people in the Toyota were not injured.
“Officers are appealing to anyone who saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision or witnessed the collision to get in touch if they have not already spoken to officers.
“They are also appealing to anyone who may have dashcam footage of the vehicles travelling along the A61 prior to the collision or of the collision itself, to get in touch.”