Twenty-four British tourists who were involved in a coach crash while on holiday in Bulgaria have won a court battle against the tour operator that provided their package holiday.

The accident happened when the tourists were on their way to a ski resort. The coach in which they were travelling came off the road, careered down a bank, and then overturned. Many of the passengers were badly injured.

When the case finally came to court, the tour operator denied liability for the accident, claiming that it was caused by a strong gust of wind. The judge, however, decided that the accident had been caused by failures on the part of the coach driver and so the tour operator was liable for the injuries to the passengers.

The compensation the holidaymakers will receive has yet to be determined, but it is thought that the total will amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds.

There have been repeated calls on tour operators to put in place improved safety measures to protect British tourists abroad, especially when travelling by coach. Operators should ensure that drivers are monitored, safe routes are chosen and coaches do not travel in dangerous conditions.