A woman and two children killed in a car crash were part of a family from Ukraine living in the UK.

Daria Bartienieva, 35, her son, Ihor Bartienieva, six, and stepdaughter, Anastasiia Bartienieva 15, were killed after a collision involving two cars and a double decker bus on the A61 near Ripon, North Yorkshire, on Sunday.

Ms Bartienieva and the two children were travelling together in a silver Vauxhall Meriva which was involved in a crash with a bus and a blue Toyota Aygo at about 2.20pm.

The two cars were travelling south towards Ripley and the bus was going in the opposite direction.

The tragedy comes seven months after the children’s dad died in a car crash in Ukraine in February.

The family’s other 15-year-old daughter has been left orphaned in the UK and is now being looked after by a family friend.

A fundraising page for the young girl has now amassed around £15,000 for the bereaved teenager.

Donna Chilcott has set up the page and is a friend of the woman who has taken the orphaned girl in.

She said: ‘It’s heartbreaking, especially for her. She lost her dad in February in Ukraine and then lost the rest of her whole family in one car crash.

‘The other girl, Anastasiia, had only been here for five weeks, in the UK, then died in a car crash. The mum was really nice from what everyone has been saying.’

The driver of the bus was taken to hospital with leg injuries, while some of its passengers also needed treatment after sustaining minor injuries.

The two people who were travelling in the Toyota were not hurt in the crash.

A person who witnessed the crash Christine Henderson said: ‘I was about five cars behind and it looked horrific… so sad.’

Local bus driver Miles Body said: ‘It’s so sad to hear about the news of yesterday. RIP to those involved.

‘But if it’s where I think the crash happened, the council should get rid of that overtaking bit. When I was a bus driver I had a couple of near misses there.’

Local resident Katie Denton-Leach said: ‘How many people have to die on this road before they do something about it? Poor father/partner losing their family in one accident. Shocking for people involved too.’

A North Yorkshire spokesperson said: ‘Sadly, all three occupants of the Vauxhall Meriva … died following the collision.

‘The driver of the bus was taken to hospital with leg injuries … and the two people in the Toyota were not injured.’

Sergeant Paul Cording, a roads policing sergeant and senior investigating officer at North Yorkshire Police, said on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘Such utterly tragic news as three people confirmed dead following a collision on the A61 between Harrogate and Ripon. My thoughts are with all those affected by this devastating incident.’

The road was closed for emergency services and investigators to attend the scene until 11.30pm.

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