SEVEN children from an Essex school were taken to hospital early today after their coach crashed in France.

Annie Davidson

SEVEN children from an Essex school were taken to hospital early today after their coach crashed in France.

The children from St Helena Secondary School, Colchester, were returning from a ski trip when the accident happened.

A number of children were taken to hospital as a precaution following the crash which happened in Northern France, a spokeswoman from Essex County Council said.

"I was informed of the accident early this morning. No other vehicles are thought to have been involved in the crash," she said. “The headteacher has been informing parents what has happened.''

She added that the children taken to hospital had been given precautionary x-rays but there were “no broken bones''.

The accident happened between Lille and Calais at 5am today, the spokeswoman said.

She said seven children were taken to hospital for checks but no injuries had been reported.

“There are no injuries,'' she said. “The teachers with them are fine. The coach driver was not injured either.

“They are waiting for another coach from England to collect them from Calais. They should be back home tonight.''

She said the circumstances of the accident were unclear but it was believed the coach had left the road.

“We will have to await a report from the French police to find out what happened,'' she said.