College bus river crash investigation continues

An investigation is continuing after a double-decker bus carrying college students plunged into a river.

The bus was seen swerving through oncoming traffic and ploughed through railings on the wrong side of Bishopstoke Road in Eastleigh, Hampshire, at about 10:00 BST on Thursday.

Work to remove the bus, seen severely damaged to the front, was carried out overnight with the bus lifted onto the road in the early hours. The bus has been towed away and the road is fully open.

The driver and one of 19 Barton Peveril Sixth Form College students on board were seriously injured. A witness said the driver reported that his brakes and accelerator failed at the same time.

Kelly West, who was one of the first on the scene, said: "It does appear that what he was saying was that the brakes didn't work and the accelerator was jammed because it was horrifically fast, it was speeding massively."

The Bluestar bus crashed into a lamp-post, shattering a windscreen, before leaving the road, according to student Freddie Sampson, who was on the top deck.

The 18-year-old said: "It was like we couldn't stop and had to weave through traffic trying not to hit any cars and then the bus driver lost control - we went flying into the river."

Five people, including the bus driver who was initially trapped, were taken to hospital for treatment, police said.

The B3037 Bishopstoke Road was closed in both directions while police gathered evidence.

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