A COACH from Stourbridge carrying youngsters heading off for a seaside day trip has overturned on the M5.

Around seven people are believed to have been hurt in the incident which happened at around 10am near junction 13 near Stroud, Gloucestershire.

But none of the wounded are thought to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed: “There are no injuries believed to be life-threatening or life-changing . However the driver of the coach does have back injuries.”

He said there were 54 people (including the driver) on board the 57-seater coach from Prospect Coaches in Lye which had been heading towards Weston-super-Mare for a day trip to the seaside.

The spokesman added: “It appears the coach left the road and went onto the hard shoulder and struck a barrier and turned over.”

And he said a section of the southbound stretch of motorway between junction 13 and 14 has been closed while paramedics and fire crews work at the scene.

A spokesman for the Confederation of Passenger Transport said on behalf of Prospect Coaches: “We’ve just been in contact with them but we haven’t been able to speak to the driver at this stage.

“The coach the left the Action for Children group centre in West Bromwich at 8.30am; it was one of four on the way to Weston for a seaside day trip.”

Two of the coaches left the West Bromwich centre and the other two are believed to have left a Dudley children’s centre in Kate’s Hill .