Horrific ordeal of Chester-le-Street bus crash survivor

Mar 11 2010 by Adam Thomson, The Journal

A WOMAN who survived a fatal bus crash has been left unable to sleep since the accident.

A week after her horrific ordeal which claimed one life, great-grandmother Eileen Turpin is still deeply shocked.

The 72-year-old, of South View, Newfield, feared she was going to die when the mini-link bus she was on collided with a coach. Eileen described the moment of impact as sounding like an “atomic bomb.”

The crash, which killed driver Gordon Hutchinson, happened on North View, Newfield, Chester-le-Street, last week.

Mrs Turpin, who has 17 grandchildren, escaped with severe bruising and cuts. She said: “When I heard the bang I thought I was a goner.

“I was holding my chest and gasping. I thought I was going to die.

“I’ve had the shakes ever since and a pain in the back of my neck and in my head.”