A VAN driver from Swindon could face criminal proceedings after building equipment from his work vehicle swung off and smashed into a bus carrying children.

Tim Gough, 36, of Laburnum Road, Pinehurst, is being comforted at home after equipment from his Transit van smashed into a Fosseway Coaches bus on Tuesday.

The minibus, carrying five children as young as 18 months, plunged off the A4 near Corsham and hit a tree.

The minibus accident happened during a day of horror on Wiltshire's roads.

In a second accident a 30 year-old Swindon man and his father cheated death when they escaped from their crashed BMW, just minutes before it exploded into flames.

The two men were forced to flee their car after it crashed into a Porsche 911 in the village of Christian Malford.

Porsche driver Gary Pearce, 35, who lived in the village, died at the crash scene despite emergency crews battling for hours to free him from the wreckage of his mangled car.

Grieving widow Gina said her husband was a loving father to his son Jules.

The family were due to fly off for a holiday in Barbados next week.

In an emotional statement released yesterday she said: "He will be remembered as a jovial and well liked member of the community and will be sadly missed by all."

Villagers rushed to the crash scene after a purple TVR span off a bend, causing the BMW and Porsche 911 to collide.

The Swindon father and son, who have not been identified, escaped the wreckage of the BMW moments before it was engulfed in flames.

The driver of the TVR sports car, an RAF pilot from Bath escaped with minor injuries.

In the bus incident police are still trying to determine how staging equipment flew off Mr Gough's Transit van, as he was travelling on the A4 towards Chippenham.

Equipment dangling from the Ford Transit smashed into the Fosseway Coaches bus head-on, injuring the driver and causing the bus to swerve down an embankment.

Five children and six adults needed treatment at the scene for minor injuries and shock after escaping the crashed wreckage.

Mr Gough, 36, an employee with Speedy Hire based in Swindon, was interviewed by police yesterday.

Barry Gallihawk, Speedy Hire managing director said the company would help out fully with any police investigation.

He said: "From a human point of view it is terrible that this has happened. The driver was interviewed by police and is deeply shocked and upset. We are just letting him calm down and are taking advice on how best we can comfort him."

Bus driver Nigel Allen is still critically ill in Bath's Royal United Hospital with chest and shoulder injuries. He was airlifted to hospital after the crash on Tuesday afternoon around 2.45pm.