Three die in crash as holiday getaway begins

PAUL FIELD

Two children and an adult died in a car crash in Sussex yesterday as thousands headed for the roads in the traditional Easter getaway. The accident involved a van and a car travelling in opposite directions on the A24. Both children, who were passengers in the car, were taken to Crawley hospital where they were pronounced dead, along with one adult. Two occupants of the van were treated in hospital for minor injuries.

After a quiet start, the usual bank holiday conditions on roads across Britain soon built up. By lunchtime, if all the tailbacks from around the country had been combined they would have stretched more than 200 miles.

Channel tunnel and ferry operators reported an increase in the number of people heading for the continent. Airports were also anticipating a rise in passengers jetting off to warmer spots and ski resorts.

For those staying in Britain there will not be much sunshine but it should remain dry with temperatures between 50 to 54F, average for the time of year.

AA Roadwatch said traffic on the M6 northbound was especially heavy because of daytrippers heading to popular holiday destinations. Worst hit were sections near the Lake District and Blackpool.

A spokesman said: "Things should be calmer now until Monday evening, when people start to return home."

Eurotunnel and ferry crossings to the Continent were operating at almost full capacity. More than 80,000 people are expected to have travelled through the Channel tunnel by the end of the bank holiday, more than double the number that took the Eurostar train last Easter.