COACH passengers in Bolton will be required to wear seat belts, under a European ruling.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey, told the House of Lords that all new coaches already had to have seat belts fitted but only drivers and front seat passengers were required to wear them.

New European Union rules would apply to passengers aged three and over, using any coach registered to carry children since 1997 or any new coach registered after October 1 last year.

Lord McIntosh said there had been between 11 and 18 deaths in coaches in each of the last five years but it was not known how many of those killed had not been wearing a seat belt.