Police Name Two Coach Crash Victims

Two victims of a coach that crashed on its way back from a music festival were formally identified today by police.

The coach driver who died on the A3 in Surrey late on Monday evening has been named as Colin Daulby, 63, from Warrington.

An 18-year-old passenger who also died has been named as Michael Molloy - a talented local musician - from Woolton, South Liverpool. He was a member of the aspiring Liverpool-based band Hostile Radio.

On the group's Facebook page Andy Paton wrote: ''RIP Mike just can't believe it. So much talent, and a great lad.''

A third victim who died has yet to be formally identified, Surrey Police said.

The vehicle was returning to Merseyside from the Bestival event on the Isle of Wight with mainly young people on board when it careered off the road and hit a tree near Hindhead just before midnight.

It left the A3 on a bend between the Hindhead tunnel and the exit for Thursley and hit an oak tree on an embankment.

All 50 survivors from the crash were taken to hospital, many of them with serious ''life-changing'' injuries, Surrey Police said.

Eleven casualties remain in hospital today.

No other vehicles were involved and officers are working to establish whether the coach may have been overloaded, as despite there appearing to be 53 people on board, the vehicle only had 51 passenger seats.

The deaths have now been referred to the coroner, a police spokesman said.

''An investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the road traffic collision,'' he said.

''All passengers have been accounted for and a Casualty Reporting Bureau set up to help any concerned relatives has now been closed. ''

Last night the badly-damaged coach was removed from the scene.

Police said neither the road conditions nor the weather was thought to be a factor in the crash and the coach had only been on the road for around an hour after leaving Portsmouth.

Mr Daulbywas described by his neighbours in Warrington as an ''all-round good guy''.

Tom McLoughlin said: ''We're all in shock. This is a close-knit street and everyone knew Colin.

''I had known him for 20-odd years and spoke to him only the other day.

''He was a very good neighbour, an all-round good guy.''

The coach was operated by the company Merseypride Travel. Its owner David Hannell said he and his staff were ''devastated'' and offered their ''heartfelt sympathy'' to all the families of the passengers involved.

He described the vehicle as a 51-seat ''exec coach'' which was 16 years old.

One of those believed to be seriously injured was Juice FM DJ Chris McGee, but the Liverpool radio station refused to comment last night.