A coach driver who died in the French Alps trying to save the passengers on board has received a posthumous Queen's Commendation for Bravery. 
 

The Duchess of Northumberland, in her capacity as Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland, recently visited Ashington to present the award to Mrs Hannah Crackett for the bravery of her late son Maurice Wrightson. 
 

In 2013, Mr Wrightson was driving a coach of 51 passengers in the French Alps over eight years ago when the brakes on the coach he was driving failed.  
 

The coach was on a very steep mountainous road and as he approached a hairpin bend he realised the brakes were no longer responding. 

Mr Wrightson had to make an immediate decision. To avoid the risk of the coach failing to take the bend and tipping into the ravine alongside the road, Mr Wrightson chose instead to crash the coach into the rocks on the other side of the bend. 
 

When it hit the boulders, the coach burst into flames and while some passengers received serious injuries his actions saved the lives of all the passengers on board. Tragically Mr Wrightson sadly lost his own life in the accident. 
 

Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland said: 

“This award gives national recognition to acts of great bravery in the face of grave danger and is only given out in exceptional circumstances. 

“Tragically Maurice’s heroic actions meant he lost his own life, but without a doubt his swift and selfless actions helped to save the lives of so many others. 

“I’m deeply honoured to be able to have presented Hannah, Maurice’s mother with his award and to show his act of incredible bravery has not been forgotten.” 
 

The award was presented after Mrs Liz Fullarton a fellow driver, and Tony Brown, the senior coroner of North Northumberland wrote to the Queen.