Road accident causes open top bus casualties

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An open top bus was involved in a road accident turning on to its side and throwing passengers through the air - 1st August 2008

An open top bus accident saw passengers thrown from the top deck up to 30ft through the air. Miraculously none of the passengers including young children were killed.

The incident happened yesterday morning 31st July as the Wilts and Dorset bus was approaching Poole harbour. A Porsche turbo and Volkswagen Golf had been involved in a car accident on a sharp bend, the 15 ton bus crashed into the vehicles and careered of the road and turned over on heath land throwing the passengers from their seats.

The emergency services were alerted with the coastguard helicopter air lifting the more seriously injured casualties to hospital, with others involved in the road accident suffering minor injuries being taken to hospital by ambulance. Other passengers were taken to a near by hotel and given cups of tea whilst being checked over by paramedics, many suffering from shock.

Police have arrested the 43 year old driver of the Porsche on suspicion of causing the road accident by dangerous driving.

Steve Smith of the Dorset Ambulance Service said: "Fortunately they had an extremely lucky escape as they were thrown into heath land consisting of heather.

"It would have been quite a soft landing for them rather than landing on concrete which could have caused serious injuries."

Passengers who were riding on the lower deck when the bus accident happened had to smash windows to escape the wreckage.

Fire crews used heavy-duty lifting equipment to raise the bus and check that there were no people trapped under the bus.

Chris Harris of the Wilts and Dorset Bus Company said: "We are very, very sorry. The bus went on its side and down a ditch.

"Our thoughts are with the people who are hurt."