TOMORROW (Wednesday) will be the 45th anniversary of the worst accident in British motoring history - and it happened at Dibbles Bridge, near Hebden.

Britain's worst-ever coach crash, on Tuesday, May 27, 1975, claimed the lives of 32 people. They were part of a group of 45 women from Thornaby-on-Tees who had set out on a mystery coach trip.

But what was supposed to be a fun day out ended in disaster just short of their Grassington destination.

The coach they were travelling in failed to negotiate a sharp right hand bend at the bottom of the one in six gradient Fan Carl Hill, tore through a three foot high stone parapet of Dibbles Bridge, and landed on its fibreglass roof some 17 feet below.

A total of 32 people died - including the stand-in coach driver Roger Marriott - and 14 others were hurt, some critically. Most suffered major chest injuries.

It was the worst accident in British motoring history.

A joint remembrance with people in Thornaby and Hebden had been planned, but together with a memorial to the dead outside the restored Thornaby Town Hall, has been put on hold because of the coronavirus crisis.

Songwriter and entertainer Mike McGrother, has written a song based on the tragedy, and had intended to do a series of shows at different venues before walking to Dibble's Bridge to highlight the tragedy and of as a tribute to all of those that died. Although that too has been put on hold, he still plans to walk to the site of the accident tomorrow.

"I do still want to mark the 1975 anniversary and so me and one friend are separately driving to Pateley Bridge before walking to Dibble's Bridge where I will leave a floral tribute, sing my song and then head back home! I’m hoping to make a very basic film of that little adventure and will use it to stimulate memories and reflections. Thornaby residents were / are proud Yorkshire stock and so the tribute will be white rose based. There will be 33 roses."