'Our hearts ARE BROKEN'

A GRIEVING COMMUNITY PULLS TOGETHER IN WAKE OF TRAGEDY

Vigils were held across Singleton, NSW, last week to mourn the 10 people killed in the tragic Hunter Valley bus accident.

On June 11, Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell’s “fairytale” wedding turned into a nightmare when the bus carrying guests leaving their celebrations overturned as it entered a roundabout. It rolled onto its left side, landing on a guardrail.

Survivor Alex Tignani, the MC at the wedding, described the crash site as a “war scene” to his mum in a panicked phone call shortly after the collision. His mother, Loretta Tignani, told 9News he was plucked from the wreckage “covered with other people’s blood”.

“He was very emotional because he’s seen a lot of his mates die. It’s a small town so everybody knows each other,” she said.

The man behind the wheel, Brett Button, 58, was driving the group from Wandin Estate winery when he allegedly lost control of the bus on Wine Country Drive around 11.30pm. Speaking outside Cessnock Police Station, police alleged the vehicle was travelling “too quick” in heavy fog.

Of the 36 passengers on board, nine people died at the crash site and one died later in hospital.

At the time of publication, the known victims include six Singleton residents: Tori Cowburn, Dr Rebecca Mullen, married couple Andrew and Lynan Scott, and mother and daughter Nadene and Kyah McBride.