A PASSENGER who died after a bus was forced to brake sharply has been named as 90-year-old Margaret Coates.

Mrs Coates, who was from Thatto Heath, died on Saturday night in hospital after suffering a serious head injury while on a bus on Borough Road on Saturday afternoon.

At around 1.10pm yesterday, Saturday, February 22, an elderly woman had been on an Arriva bus on Borough Road when it is believed a white van stopped suddenly in front of the bus.

This caused the bus driver to brake.

Her family have today expressed their thanks to the people who came to Mrs Coates’ assistance on the bus and also the staff at Whiston Hospital for the “kind and sensitive” way in which they cared for her.

The van did not stop at the scene but the driver has now been traced.

Enquiries are ongoing.

Anyone who saw the incident to DM @MerPolCC, to call 101 or the Roads Policing Unit on 0151 777 5747 quoting log 438 of 22nd February.