17 people in hospital after crash involving football fans on minibus

Seventeen football supporters have been hospitalised, with seven sustaining serious injuries, following a horrific crash involving their minibus in West Yorkshire.

The accident occurred at around 7pm on the A1M near Pontefract on Saturday, according to West Yorkshire Police.

During the incident, an Iris minibus carrying South Shields FC fans from a game overturned on the northbound carriageway close to junction 40 after colliding with a black Skoda Fabia.

It is believed that the fans were returning from watching their team play when the crash happened.

A third vehicle, described as a white car, was reportedly involved in the accident but has not yet been identified by authorities.

South Shields FC expressed their concern on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating: "Our thoughts go out to the supporters involved in a crash on the way home from today's game."

They added, "At this moment of time we have no further details, however we hope everyone is safe and recovering."

The collision came after South Shields faced a defeat of 3-2 against Tamworth in the Vanarama National League North season's second-to-last match at Tamworth's Lamb Ground on Saturday.

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

Footage that emerged on social media, allegedly from the scene, shows the aftermath with the minibus lying on its side on the hard shoulder.

The motorway sections were shut down until Sunday morning while emergency responders, including the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, managed the situation.

Police have stated that investigations into the exact cause of the multi-vehicle collision are still underway, with the roads policing unit leading the inquiries.

"Anyone with information