A TOUR driver from Pendle has been sacked after his coach full of holidaymakers crashed and overturned in Scotland.

Geoffrey Menzies, 63, of Rimmington Avenue, Colne, was dismissed after admitting a charge of careless driving.

Menzies, who worked for Wigan-based Shearings, was driving a group of holidaymakers home to England when he ran into the back of a lorry on the A9 Inverness to Perth road.

The coach ended up overturning and mounting a verge.

Seven of the 33 passengers, who were mainly pensioners, were taken to hospital. Police said 13 were said to have sustained minor injuries.

Menzies was trapped in the vehicle by his steering column, and was cut free by firefighters before being taken to hospital. He is still receiving treatment for injuries to his right leg.

He was initially charged with dangerous driving, before admitting the lesser charge.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Menzies was driving the group back from the Royal Hotel at Dornoch on the morning of April 16 last year when the incident happened.

Fiscal depute Heather Swan told the court: “The Shearings coach in front of the lorry turned left into a layby. The lorry also slowed down. Mr Menzies failed to see or react to the vehicle in front of him.”.

Menzies' lawyer, Graeme Runcie, said the accident was due to a 'momentary lapse' by his client.

Menzies had been working as a driver for the past 36 years and had been employed by Shearings for 23.

He said Menzies had driven all over the UK, Europe and Russia, averaging about 80,000 miles a year, and had committed two minor driving offences in that time.

He added that Menzies employment had been terminated by Shearings last Monday.

At his home yesterday, Menzies declined to comment, saying he was taking the firm to an employment tribunal over his dismissal.

Sheriff Margaret Neilson told Menzies: “The consequences of this could have been much, much worse.”

Menzies was fined £450 by the court.