16 hurt as school bus hits bridge (From Bridgwater Mercury)

16 hurt as school bus hits bridge

1:33pm Friday 11th December 2009 in

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Sixteen people, including 14 children, have been taken to hospital after a double-decker bus had its roof ripped off when it collided with a bridge.

The bus with 40 school children on board crashed into a railway bridge in Leicester at about 10.30am, the fire and rescue service said.

An East Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said 16 casualties, including 14 children, were treated at the scene for minor injuries and taken to hospital for assessment.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "Officers are still in the early stages of the investigation and are looking into the events that led up to the collision."

The children were all from a school in Nottingham and those not taken to hospital were being "supported and assessed for possible shock", she said.

Police and the local authority in Nottingham were working to contact the children's parents.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue service sent two crews to the scene, as well as a technical rescue team and heavy rescue team, but no-one was trapped in the wreckage on Lancaster Road, close to its junction with Tigers Way.

The Leicester Mercury reported the top of the bus was almost completely torn off. It said the accident is thought to have happened in thick fog.

Network Rail officials were also at the scene.