LIVERPOOL pupils had a “miraculous” escape when their school coach was involved in a horror crash in Germany.

Thirty-four pupils from West Derby School were on the way home from a ski-trip in Austria when their driver had a fatal heart-attack at the wheel.

Headteacher of the Quarry Road school, Margaret Rannard, said it was “a miracle” the pupils avoided injury when the coach ploughed into the central reservation of a road in Karlsruhe, south Germany, just after midnight on Wednesday.

One brave pupil, Ryan Higgins, 15, leapt to the dying driver’s aid – holding and comforting him while the ambulance arrived.

The Newcastle man, an employee of North East firm, Keith’s Coaches, later died in hospital.

The shaken but unhurt children, aged between 14 and 18, and six members of school staff, were given food and drink and spent the night at a nearby Red Cross centre.

Tour operator Sports Travel International Ski Wise organised a replacement coach from Germany to take the pupils to get a night ferry from Calais to Dover.

The students, who had spent just short of a week at the Lackengasse ski resort, in Austria, were expected back in Liverpool early this morning.

Mrs Rannard pledged every student would be offered counselling and said she was so relieved the pupils had avoided injury.

She said: “They were on their way back to Calais when one of the drivers had a heart attack while driving, hit the central reservation and managed to avoid any cars. It is astonishing, miraculous that the children are all right.

“Staff have told me that one of the boys who was sat behind the driver immediately tried to help him and he comforted and held him while they waited for the ambulance.

“For a child that age to do that is very brave.”