A COACH carrying schoolchildren from Churcher’s College in Petersfield has crashed on the A272.

The accident, which also involved a Ford Focus, happened on the stretch between Rogate and Petersfield, close to Durford Abbey farm, around 8am.

A 24-year-old woman driving the Ford Focus was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital. She is believed to have “life-changing injuries”.

None of the Ramshill-based Churcher’s pupils were hurt, according to a school spokesman.

“There were 14 children involved, all of which were our pupils, and they are now in class, all are safe and unharmed.”

And he said there had been “no disruption to classes and it was just a normal school day”.

“We have been in contact with the parents of the 14 children involved and they were all happy for the pupils to stay in school knowing they were all safe.”

The Midhurst-based Richardsons coach was taking pupils from the West Sussex town to Churcher’s College senior school in Petersfield when the accident happened, travelling westbound along the A272.

An eye-witness suggested the coach had been forced to swerve off the road before hitting a tree.

Pauline Gaunt, a spokesman for CPT, the trade association representing coach companies, said: “The driver was shaken up by the incident and has spoken to the police. We have been informed by Richardsons that he is now on his way back to them.”

The coach suffered minor damage.

A West Sussex Police spokesman confirmed that the road was closed to eastbound traffic, and was not expected to reopen until this afternoon, but had been reopened westbound.

Anyone who witnessed the accident, which emergency services responded to at 8.15am, should call 101 (quoting serial number 427) e-mail [email protected].