THE death toll in last week's crash involving a bus carrying a party
of Girl Guides and their leaders has risen to five.
Ten-year-old Laura Cullen of Belsyde Avenue, Drumchapel, Glasgow, died
on Monday in the city's Southern General Hospital. She was one of six
girls who were seriously injured when a double-deck bus, carrying Guides
from Drumchapel back from Butlins Wonderwest World in Ayr on Sunday,
September 18, smashed into a low rail bridge in Glasgow, ripping off its
roof.
Laura had suffered massive head injuries and had been on a
life-support machine since the accident.
Guides Catherine McKnight, 10, and Margaret Riddick, 10, were killed
along with Guide leaders Mary McGreskin, 39, and Rena Dougall, 47, when
the bus smashed into the bridge in West Street, Glasgow, near the
approaches to the Kingston Bridge.
Of the seriously injured Guides, only Denise McAlease, 14, of Drummore
Road, Drumchapel, is still in hospital. Her condition was improving and
stable in the Southern General yesterday.
Four of the other injured Guides -- Stacey Fraser, 14, Charlene
O'Donnell, 10, and Catherine Cross, nine, all of Drummore Road, and
Louise Gallie, nine, of Goyle Avenue, Drumchapel -- were discharged from
hospital last weekend.
Laura's parents, Grace and James, were too shocked yesterday to talk
about their daughter's death. Her sisters Jamie Lee, 13, and Leanne,
three, were being looked after by relatives.
One theory being investigated by police into the cause of the crash is
that the bus driver, Mr Campbell Devlin, 30, may have followed a Guide
leader's car under the bridge while seeking a short cut to the Kingston
Bridge.
Sources close to Clydeside 2000, which owned the bus, confirmed that
the driver had not followed a company route through the Clyde Tunnel.
Police confirmed after the crash that Mr Devlin had been charged with
careless driving in connection with an incident in Glasgow on August 31,
in which a motorist died.
* Donations were still pouring in yesterday to the Drumchapel
Emergency Trust which was set up to offer support and assistance to the
families of the victims. Donations can be sent to Drumchapel Emergency
Trust, Mercat House, Hecla Square, Drumchapel.
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