School children injured as bus hits bridge

Ten children were taken to hospital today after a double-decker bus had its roof ripped off when it collided with a bridge, emergency services said.

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.

Police said 10 children were taken to hospital for treatment to cuts and bruises, but their injuries were not thought to be serious.

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.

"Ten children have been taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary for treatment to cuts and bruises. Their injuries are not thought to be serious."

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.

Officers were working with police and the local authority in Nottingham 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 this morning.

Network Rail officials were also at the scene.

Later, 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.

She said three land ambulances, a fast response vehicle and patient transport vehicles were all dispatched to the scene.