Seven people have been left seriously injured after a minibus carrying South Shields FC fans home from a match overturned on the A1.

The single-decker Iris minibus overturned in the Darrington area of West Yorkshire at 7pm on Saturday (April 13) night as Shields fans returned home from a 3-2 defeat against Tamworth in the National League North.

Seventeen people were taken to hospital, with West Yorkshire Police saying seven are thought to have suffered serious injuries in an update on Sunday (April 14).

It comes as police officers attempt to identify a white car they believe was involved but which they are yet to locate. A third car, a black Skoda Fabia, was also involved.

A video posted on social media appears to show the minibus on its side with a large number of emergency service vehicles at the scene and traffic halted.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information or dashcam footage to contact them.

A spokesperson for the West Yorkshire force said: “Enquiries into the circumstances regarding the collision remain ongoing with officers from the Roads Policing Unit. 

“Anyone with information including dashcam footage relating to the collision or the unidentified white car, who has not yet spoken to the police, is asked to contact the Roads Policing Unit via the live chat function on the website or by calling 101 quoting reference 13240197597.”

Last night South Shields FC said in a statement on Facebook: “Our thoughts go out to the supporters involved in a crash on the way home from today’s game.”


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The football community, including Shields’ opponents on Saturday and league leaders Tamworth FC, responded with well wishes.

Posting to X, formerly Twitter, Tamworth FC said: “We are so sorry to hear about the accident. Our sincere thoughts are with everyone involved and trust everybody makes a full recovery.”

Shields sit in seventh place with one game to play.