A HEADTEACHER from Prestwich is being helped to come to terms with the Bolton school coach tragedy.

Mr David Bowes is the head of St James CE Secondary Modern School in Farnworth. Three of the school's pupils were killed when a coach plunged down a ravine in the French Alps on Monday morning.

Mr Bowes lives in Prestwich with his wife Alwen, who is headteacher of St Andrew's CE Primary School in Radcliffe.

Mr Bowes has been the focus of media attention since the tragedy near Grenoble.

He said the deaths of Nicola Moore (16), Keith Riddings (14) and Robert Boardman (14) had left the whole school shocked.

He described Nicola as a "ray of sunshine" and said the two boys were "smashing lads, so full of life, so keen on everything at the school".

He added: "The coach was on a very winding road and I believe it went off the road on a bend and down a ravine."

A major investigation is under way to determine the cause of the tragedy.

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