A GWENT bride-to-be and her hen party were lucky to escape a coach crash in Devon with their lives, say fire officers.

They say seatbelts almost certainly saved the lives of the hen party from Newport after their minibus overturned on the motorway and rolled down an embankment at Cullompton, Devon.

The 12 women were said to be have been returning from a holiday in Newquay. Rescuers today spoke of the devastation they faced and how they had to battle through thick undergrowth to reach the accident victims.

Three of the party were trapped inside the mangled wreckage for up to 45 minutes before being cut free by firefighters.

All 12 occupants of the minibus were taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital where at least two casualties underwent emergency surgery. Six women were kept in overnight and three were said to be in a "serious condition". The 45-year-old driver was being treated for head injuries.

Station Officer Brian Harvey, of Exeter Fire Station, said their injuries could have been far worse if they had not been wearing seatbelts.

"I have to say that the fact that all those on board were wearing seatbelts was a major contributory factor in preventing even more serious injuries."

Their vehicle was sent spinning and rolling off the M5, near the Cullompton turn-off, just after 12.30pm yesterday.

It eventually came to rest just yards from the main Great Western railway line with its windows smashed and door panels badly twisted.

Fire and ambulance crews, including the Devon Air Ambulance, took part in the rescue. Mr Harvey said: "The minibus was on its roof at the very bottom of the motorway embankment and was not in danger of going on to the line, although it was perilously close."

He understood the women were returning from a holiday break in Newquay where they had been celebrating the forthcoming wedding of one of their number.

Traffic police from Exeter were investigating the accident which is believed to have been caused when a Peugeot car suffered a suspected tyre blow-out and collided with the minibus.

The four people in the Peugeot, including the 23-year-old London driver, were unhurt.