The funeral of a woman who was killed when a hen party’s bus crashed on the M62 takes place later today in South Elmsall. 18-year-old Bethany Jones died after a lorry hit the party bus she and 21 others were travelling in on the motorway in West Yorkshire in April. Twenty other women on the bus were hurt, eight of them seriously, and face a long recovery. The party were on their way to Liverpool for a hen night, when the tragedy occurred on the 16^th April.

The 62-year-old driver of the minibus was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and remains on bail while further enquiries are made, West Yorkshire Police confirmed. The driver of the lorry, who is from St Helen’s, had previously been arrested on suspicion of the same offence and also remains on police bail.

Trainee nurse Beth Jones from South Elmsall, who would have turned 19 last Monday, has had a fund called Beth’s Angels set up in her memory. The money raised is being used to support the victims of the accident. It has so far raised almost £12,000, and was set up by Ms Jones’s cousin Mark Larkin, who is landlord of the Barnsley Oak pub where she used to work. He said: “We’ve got lots of events planned and we’ll carry on raising money for as long as the girls need it. Whatever is left over we’ll give to the air ambulance.”

The funeral will take place today at St Joseph’s Church in South Elmsall, near Pontefract, and will start at 11:45 BST.