Coach passengers' fear over 'sleeping' driver on M62 Published duration 14 April 2018

A man said his family could have died after the driver of a coach he was on allegedly fell asleep at the wheel.

Dom Creed from Silsden, West Yorkshire, was with his family and other passengers travelling on a coach organised by airline Jet2 between Manchester and Leeds airports.

Mr Creed said the vehicle veered across lanes on the M62 motorway.

Jet2 said it was investigating the incident "as a matter of absolute urgency".

About 50 passengers were on the coach, which picked up travellers from a flight from Lanzarote on Thursday that had been diverted to Manchester Airport due to poor weather.

Mr Creed said he was sitting directly behind the coach driver with his son when he noticed the "driver's eyes were closed".

'Screaming hysterically'

"I automatically dropped forward and shouted 'are you asleep, are you asleep?'," said Mr Creed.

"He awoke with a start. 'Sorry, sorry' was the response I got.

"Straight away there was alarm and panic and a couple of women behind screaming hysterically."

Mr Creed said he persuaded the driver to stop at the next service station where the passengers got off and ordered taxis to make their way home.

West Yorkshire Police said it was "making inquiries into reports of a road-related offence".