Isle of Wight Festival bus driver escapes fire

The bus was 100% damaged in the blaze, the fire service confirmed

A bus used to ferry passengers to and from the Isle of Wight Festival has been destroyed by fire.

The driver managed to safely pull over before emergency services were called at 00:40 BST to Newport Road.

No-one else had been onboard the bus which had been shuttling people between Cowes ferry terminal and the festival site in Newport.

Richard Tyldsley, Southern Vectis general manager, said: "There was no prior warning of any issue, and the driver pulled over immediately and safely."

"This type of incident is extremely rare, and we are investigating to establish the cause of the fire. Early indications suggest a mechanical issue," he said.

The bus was seen on fire between Cowes and the festival site in Newport

The former Salisbury Reds bus has been retained on the island and is part of the additional fleet used for festival transport each year.

"The vehicle has been maintained and was prepared for service by the Southern Vectis team," said Mr Tyldsley.

The Isle of Wight Festival started on Thursday with some of the thousands of revellers making their way to the island.

Headliners for this year's weekend-long event include Justin Timberlake and Stereophonics.