MEMBERS of a Bewdley family are believed to have been seriously injured in a buggy crash while on holiday in Australia.

A group of 12 had flown over to Queensland from the UK for a family reunion when the collision between two golf buggies occurred on Hamilton Island last Thursday (March 10).

Reports in Australia suggested the two buggies rolled over following the smash and resulted in eight of the 12 people, including three children, being rushed to three different hospitals for treatment.

Injuries suffered by the victims included head and facial, spinal and neck, fractured limbs, lacerations, bruising and altering levels of consciousness.

The RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service confirmed it had airlifted two UK men - a 36 year old with possible spinal and neck injuries and a 60 year old with a suspected fractured leg and lacerations, to the Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition.

The Rotary Club of Bewdley said they were contacted by Australian Ali Weiley who informed that, amongst those involved, Bewdley mother Lauren Ashford and her young baby had been hurt in the incident.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up by Joanne Millar, who is the mother of the girlfriend of a UK man called Nick now living in Australia and who is related to the tourists, to help with costs for the family.

In her message to the Rotary Club, Ms Weiley said: “A Bewdley family were involved in a terrible accident while on holidays in Australia.

“There was an accident and eight out of 12 all enjoying family reunion were hospitalised including a young mum and her baby.”

On the Go Fund Me page, Ms Millar said: “My daughter Mariko's partner Nick's family, are the family who were badly injured in the accident on Hamilton Island.

“Mariko, her new-born baby Maverik and mother in law, Linda, were in the first buggy. They were uninjured.

“The rest of Nick’s family - two sisters, husbands, babies, a toddler and his dad were being valet driven in the buggy behind.

“Their holiday was a family reunion, a chance to meet all the babies and the 'holiday of a lifetime'.

“Nick is from the UK and while he lives here the rest of his family doesn't. Now after a horrendous accident on Hamilton Island half the family are in three different hospitals.

“Uninjured family members are trying to provide support to their injured loved ones across big distances. Their immediate needs are obviously accommodation, food, hire cars etc.

“We don’t even know what they'll need longer term or when they'll be able to even think about getting on a plane for their homes.”

A spokesman for the British High Commission, Canberra, said: “We are providing support to a group of British nationals who were injured in a road traffic accident on Hamilton Island, Australia.”

People can donate via the fund-raising page by visiting www.gofundme.com/3ttjmkfw