The driver of one of the coaches was trapped inside

Pupils from Scotland were travelling to Lightwater Valley theme park when they were involved in the accident at East Layton, five miles from Scotch Corner.

Three children and one of the drivers, who was trapped, are still in hospital.

The remaining 158 pupils from schools in Hamilton and Wishaw arrived home late on Friday.

South Lanarkshire Council said the buses were carrying children from John Ogilvie High School in Hamilton and Coltness High School in Wishaw.

As you can imagine, it was absolute mayhem Sgt Steve Hall

The authority said 54 children were injured in the crash, but not seriously.

Two 13-year-old girls and a 12-year-old boy were detained overnight at Darlington Hospital and two members of staff were staying with them. A teacher was also injured.

Darlington Council provided buses to take the remaining children home.

Councillor Mary Smith, South Lanarkshire Council's education chairwoman, said: "This was a very shocking incident but thankfully the injuries were minor.

"I would like to congratulate all of the staff who today put the needs of pupils first.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank each of the staff at the school who went out of their way to contact parents as the news came in."

The collision happened when a van turned right into the car park of the Fox Hall Inn at 1030 BST on Friday.

All the other vehicles behind, including the petrol tanker, slowed down but the coach at the rear did not.

'Kids screaming'

It smashed into the coach immediately in front causing the pile-up, police said.

Speaking from the scene, Sergeant Steve Hall, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "As you can imagine, it was absolute mayhem with lots of confusion and lots of children around. It could have certainly been a lot worse and we have been quite fortunate on this occasion."

Eyewitness Martyn Dee, 33, said: "The kids were screaming and so was the coach driver, who was trapped.

"Obviously there was a lot of shock and confusion, and some of the kids had cuts, while some were limping."

Mr Dee, from Seaham, County Durham, said: "It could have been a lot worse. This is a fast road with a 60mph limit, but when you stand next to the road with wagons and buses going past, it feels a lot faster."

Diane Swainston, landlady at the Fox Hall Inn, added: "The children seem to be quite shook up by it all and were really shocked and upset.

'Not life threatening'

"There were lots of bumps and bruises and black eyes and they obviously were quite shaken by it."

Eight ambulances and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance attended the scene as police closed the road in both directions.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the trapped driver had been cut free from the wreckage of the coach and taken to hospital in Darlington.