A double decker bus carrying 37 school children crashed into a low bridge which ripped its roof off.
The crash happened on Green Lane at the junction with Old Chester Road in Birkenhead, Wirral, at 2.43pm.
The children, aged between eight and nine, had been returning to school from a day trip.
Photos from the scene show the bus roof completely ripped off, with windows smashed in.
Merseyside Police understand the driver thought they could ‘clear the space’ underneath the bridge.
But the bus became lodged under it, taking the upper part of its roof off. All passengers were brought to safety immediately.
Somebody at the scene said they saw the children being checked over by paramedics.
An eyewitness called Nikki Louise said: ‘When I pulled up, there were two fire engines and two ambulances.
‘There was about 28 schoolchildren, teachers. I think the headteacher was there because someone with a staff lanyard came running out of a car.
‘The bus was all smashed up at the top and the driver was still in the bus talking to paramedics and police.’
A police officer at the scene could be heard saying ‘there’s going to be one hell of a mess’.
Posts on social media reveal that some of the children have been left with ‘cuts and bruises’, although there has been no reported injuries.
Somebody wrote on social media: ‘Luckily nobody was hurt or killed.’
Another said similar incidents of large vehicles getting stuck under the bridge have been ‘happening for years’.
A third said: ‘When will they learn those bridges are too low for buses – hopefully everyone who was on the bus is ok.’
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