A COACH driver has been praised by police after he took action to prevent a horrific accident.

The coach was carrying 52 daytrippers when it smashed into a caravan on the A37 at Breakheart Hill north of Dorchester yesterday.

The Bluebird Coaches driver, a 60-year-old man from Weymouth, was the only one injured in the smash which cut the caravan in two.

He was thought to have suffered serious chest injuries at first but he escaped with cuts and bruises as well as whiplash.

He had to be rescued from his cab by the emergency services as he was partially trapped before being taken to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.

A woman travelling on the coach was left covered in glass and checked over in hospital before being sent home.

None of the other passengers, which included children, were injured.

A couple in a Volkswagen Passat car towing the caravan towards Weymouth were unhurt despite their caravan being wrecked.

A Dorset Police spokesman said the Passat driver, a 61-year-old man from Mid-Glamorgan, Wales was heading south when he lost control of his car. The car and caravan jack-knifed into the path of the coach which was heading north.

The spokesman said: “The coach driver took avoiding action by driving onto the grass verge, however the coach collided with the caravan and the driver sustained injuries.

“As a result of his actions the driver prevented a very serious incident.”

The coach was on a day-trip excursion arranged especially for the half-term holidays from Weymouth to Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire.

The crash happened in a dip on the A37 a mile south of the Folly Hill junction about 10.20am.

Dorset Police officers, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and ambulance paramedics attended.

The road was said to be impassable and covered in debris, prompting officers to close a two-mile stretch of the A37 in both directions between the A356 junction at its southern end and Sydling St Nicholas in the north for four hours. Local roads around the scene were said to be clogged with traffic.

PC Steve Newton, who was directing traffic at the scene, said: “It was really busy.”

Some lorry drivers decided against using the diversion through winding country roads and waited until the A37 reopened.

Royal Mail driver Iain Smith, on his way to Poole, said: “I got there about 1.10pm and the road was closed off. Lots of cars were going down though the villages.

“We heard the traffic was causing a few problems down the villages so I thought, no.”

He added: “Normally this is quite a busy road, it wasn’t too bad compared to how it is normally.”

Driver Alan Mowlan, who was hauling farm machinery, said: “There was no point going through the villages. It’s better to wait until the road is open.”

Joint managing director of Weymouth-based Bluebird Coaches Martin Hoare said the passengers were brought back to Weymouth by a company vehicle. Everyone will be reimbursed the £29.50 fare.

He said the driver was a local man and experienced driver who had been with the company for some years. Mr Hoare said: “The coach has suffered extensive front-end damage on the driver’s side. It is a modern vehicle built to withstand impact. The driver was very lucky. I understand he only suffered cuts and bruises.”

He added: “It was a shock when I got the call to say there had been an accident but the good thing is that no-one has been seriously hurt and we can put the coach right.”

Witnesses and anyone with information is asked to contact PC Louise Brook of Dorset Police on 01305 222222.

• Two drivers were hurt following a collision between a double decker bus and a Peugeot 807 people carrier.

It happened at 12.40pm yesterday on the A354 at Winterborne Whitechurch between Dorchester and Blandford.

Firefighters cut the roof off the people carrier so the driver could be removed safely. Dorset Police said both drivers were treated at Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, for minor injuries.

The road was closed until after 2pm.