UPDATE! Pedestrian Hit And Killed By School Bus In Horrific Crash At Adamstown

BY IAN CROUCH

A woman has been killed in a horror crash at Adamstown.

Police say the woman, believed to be 35-years-old, was crossing Brunker Road at a pedestrian crossing near Mandalong Road at about 3.30pm on Tuesday when she was struck by a southbound Newcastle Buses school bus.

The woman was walking her dog at the time which was also found dead at the scene.

The bus then collided with 5 cars which were parked on Brunker Road before coming to a stop almost 100 metres up the road.


Several bystanders rendered first aid before paramedics arrived but the woman was unable to be revived and she died at the scene.

The bus was carrying 16 students from Merewether High School.

None of the school students on the bus were injured and the driver has been taken to the John Hunter Hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.

No-one else was injured in the crash.

Brunker Road was closed to traffic north of Olney Road and police taped off the area as a crime scene as investigations continue. Brunker Road has since been re-opened to traffic

Inspector Shane Buggy from Newcastle Police would not speculate on how the crash occurred.

"It's unclear at this stage and investigations are ongoing," he said.

Kurt Batchelor works at the nearby Steve Toms Automotive Services and says it was a horrific scene.

"I heard a loud bang out the front of work and walked outside and saw the bus on the other side of the road driving pretty fast and walked over to attend and saw the lady on the ground with a couple of people attending (to her)", he said.

Crash investigators want to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision ansd have not yet spoken to police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The Pedestrian Crossing Where The Crash Occurred At Adamstown Picture: Ian Crouch

The Horrific Crash Scene At Adamstown Picture: Ian Crouch

Passers-by Stamp Out Deliberately Lit Grass Fire At Buchannan

BY IAN CROUCH

Four passers-by have helped extinguish a deliberately lit grass fire at Buchannan.

Newcastle Fire Command says the four noticed the fire break out near the Hunter Expressway just before 7.30pm on Monday and called triple-oh.

They managed to stamp out most of the flames before police and firefighters arrived.

They also gave police a description of a man wearing a black hooded jumper who they say started the blaze - he was last seen heading up the on-ramp at George Booth Drive.

Police say no-one has been arrested at this stage.

Father Of Starved Hawks Nest Girl Set To Stay In Gaol

BY IAN CROUCH

A father who did nothing while his 7 year-old girl starved to death at Hawks Nest more than a decade ago is set to be denied parole.

Ebony weighed only 9 kilograms when she died in 2007 in one of the worst cases of parental neglect ever seen in NSW.

Her father has become eligible for parole after serving 12 years of a 16 year sentence for manslaughter.

However, News Limited reports the Parole Board intends to block his application.

Ebony's mother was convicted of her murder and won't be eligible for parole until 2037.

7-year-old Ebony weighed just 9 kilograms when she died from malnutrition

Teenager Hands Himself In After High Speed Pursuit Near Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

A teenager who allegedly led police on a high speed pursuit near Cessnock will front court next month after handing himself in.

Police say they spotted the 17-year-old driving a PT Chrysler Cruiser at excessive speed through the Hunter Economic Zone just after 6.00pm on Wednesday.

They initiated a pursuit when the car failed to stop.

But the driver came unstuck when he turned off Hospital Road into dense bushland at Kurri Kurri a short time later, reversing into two police cars before speeding away.

The Cruiser was found dumped at Pelaw Main.

While officers were waiting for a tow truck, the 17-year-old returned with a support person and was arrested.

He's been charged with Skyes Law and dangerous driving and has been granted conditional bail to face Kurri Kurri Local Court on November 26.

Man Caught Red-Handed After Break-in At Raymond Terrace Pharmacy

BY IAN CROUCH

A man is due front court today accused of stealing drugs from a Raymond Terrace pharmacy.

Police say patrons of a local hotel noticed a man kicking in the windows at the Cincotta Chemist on Benjamin Lee Drive just after 8.30pm on Tuesday.

Officers arrived a short time later and arrested a 22-year-old man from Raymond Terrace.

He was allegedly in possession of Benzodiazepine tranquilliser drugs taken from the pharmacy.

The man's been refused bail to face Raymond Terrace Local Court today (Wednesday) charged with break, enter and steal.

BREAKING! Firey Crash Involving Four Trucks On M1 At Halloran

BY IAN CROUCH

A fiery crash involving four trucks is causing major delays on the  M1 Pacific Motorway at Halloran on the Central Coast.

Newcastle Fire Command says a B-Double carrying Woolworths goods was travelling through the roadworks zone heading north just past the Sparks Road overpass at about 2.10am on Wednesday when it crashed into three work trucks that were stopped at the location.

The B-double caught alight with the fire quickly spreading to the other heavy vehicles involved in the crash.

Thankfully no-one has been injured.

The crash closed both sides of the M1 but the southbound lanes re-opened to traffic just after 4am, although there is a traffic queue of 5 kilometres.

Northbound lanes remain closed with diversions in place as firefighting operations continue.

University charity Out(fit) launches Mobile Design Hub

BY SAMANTHA COOKE AND HANNAH-LOUISE ANDERSON

A University of Newcastle based charity organisation has launched a new multipurpose trailer called 'Dotty' aid in bringing design assistance to regional New South Wales communities.

Out(fit), an initiative run through the School of Architecture and Built Environments, aims to provide save havens and facilities to underprivileged groups while simultaneously giving architecture and design students a chance to learn new skills in real world scenarios.

Thanks to a $123 000 grant from the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation, the newly constructed multipurpose trailer will allow the organisation to facilitate mobile project management as well as community pop-up events to raise awareness and crowd-fund. 

Out(fit) Founder and Head of School of Architecture and Built Environment, Professor SueAnne Ware says Dotty will allow the organisation extend its reach to further communities and provides students with unique learning opportunities.

"Dotty allows us to go on the road and we already have a few places lined up in places like Taree and Windale." she says. 

Chair of Newcastle Permanent's Charitable Foundation Phil Neat said the foundation understands the importance for a project like this being initiated across regional New South Wales. 

"These people are marginalized, their isolated, or people who are looking for better community outcomes," he said.

Image belonging to Out(fit)