A double-decker bus carrying college students has crashed into a river near Eastleigh in Hampshire
Five people have been taken to hospital, police say - among them, the driver and one passenger have "serious but not life-threatening" injuries
A local resident says she saw the bus "come careering into the river", and the driver told her after the crash that "the brakes were not working"
Pictures from the scene show a collapsed railing and broken traffic light near the crash site
The College Bus 607 was carrying students from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, with 19 passengers onboard, according to the operator
Parents respond to college bus crash
Our reporter at the scene says only police and recovery vehicles remain.
The bus is expected to stay in situ while the investigation continues.
Police say the road is expected to reopen in the early hours of the morning.
We're now ending our live coverage, but you can continue to read about the story in our main article: Two seriously injured as bus 'careers into river'
We've been hearing more from 18-year-old student Freddie Sampson who describes how he was directed by emergency workers to leave the bus and wade through the river to safety.
"We all went downstairs one at a time," he says.
"We had to step over people getting immediate treatment downstairs because there was two people on the floor quite badly injured… I know that one person was quite badly injured on their head.
"There was mud everywhere. Down by the bus driver - he was covered in mud completely… People on the bus received injuries and fairly big cuts."
Barton Peveril student Freddie Sampson was sitting at the front of the bus on the top deck and describes the moment the bus went over the kerb.
"We ran into a lamp-post and the whole windscreen shattered," he says.
"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.
"It was all a bit manic. No-one really knew what was going on. I looked out the front to see people moving out of the way, like cars out the front… I looked round... they were all confused and scared."
A police cordon around the crash scene remains in place.
Bishopstoke Road between the Toby Carvery and the Esso garage on the B3037 remains closed while police continue with their investigation.
Police said earlier that they anticipate the road will remain closed late into the night.
Image source, PA MediaInsp Andy Tester, from Hampshire police, praises the bravery of members of the public and emergency services who helped at the scene.
"There was a lot of bravery shown by many people who were first on scene, who didn't have training to work in water and weren't equipped, but quickly backed up by our fire and ambulance colleagues who did have the right training to make it safe and make it a safe working environment," he says.
Police have just released this update: "Two people are confirmed to have serious injuries – the driver and one passenger.
"Their injuries are not considered to be life-threatening."
MP for Eastleigh Liz Jarvis has been giving her reaction to the crash.
Speaking on BBC Radio Solent, she says: “Like everyone, I was very, very shocked and worried about the students who were involved. I understand their parents have all been contacted.
"My thoughts are with those who were injured and the emergency services who were on the scene who have done a fantastic job and responded really quickly.
"When something like this happens it’s about the community coming together. I know the college is doing everything they can to support the students and their parents."
Paul Crowther, who works for the local authority, was strimming grass verges near the crash site.
He says: "I had all my safety gear on and couldn’t hear much. [The] bus must have gone past me, but I didn’t notice at the time — I’m only just starting to realise now what could have happened.
"[I] looked up and saw cables hanging down from a telegraph pole. A bit further down the road, I saw a set of pedestrian traffic lights that had been hit and were bent in half.
“I helped turn a few vehicles around, but by then the police had arrived and were taking control of the scene. I decided it was best to leave the area.
“I think it probably happened just before 10:00. If it had been an hour earlier, it could have been far worse — there are a few schools nearby, including primary schools.”
Image source, Paul Crowther
Image source, PA MediaFive people, including the bus driver, were taken to hospital for treatment with two of them in a "serious but not life-threatening" condition, according to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Insp Andy Tester says: "It must have been terrifying and my thoughts are very much with the children and the driver on the bus, who must have had a terrifying experience."
He adds that several people including the driver were trapped on board when emergency services arrived.
He says: "There were a large number of specialist resources helping to get people out of the bus.
"Some people had got themselves out of the bus, and it was obviously important to us to triage the injured people, to assess the people who were still stuck in the bus, and to make sure we had accounted for everyone."
In a picture just sent back from the scene, the bus can still be seen submerged in the murky water.
BBC reporter Jamie Morris says they have been given access to look at the double-decker.
"It's gone through metal railings and is on the river bed, not fully submerged," he says.
"Both of the top two windows, top and bottom, have been smashed through with mud and debris near the driver's seat."
Kelly West was working from home close to the crash and rushed down to help.
She says she looked out the window when she heard screeching and saw the bus "come careering into the river".
"We ran outside, we ran around the front of the bus, spoke to the driver," she says.
The driver told her that the "brakes were not working" and "the accelerator jammed" and he was "doing the best he could to avoid cars as he was coming down the road".
She helped the "shocked" students that could get off the bus out of the water and into her garden nearby.
Several parents spoke to the BBC after the crash earlier
David Pogson, whose son was on board, has told the BBC: "I got a message on the family chat at work about the accident, which sounded quite serious.
"Thankfully it doesn't sound that he is seriously hurt, his friends are all fine.
"I have seen some ambulances going away though and I understand some children have been injured."
Annabel says her daughter called her crying and saying the bus had crashed into a river.
She hasn't seen her yet but thinks she is a bit "banged up, shocked and has some cuts and bruises".
She says parents have been told to wait at The Hub centre while they check on the students involved.
Asked how she is feeling, Annabel says: "I'm nervous, I felt panicked, I rushed straight here as quick as I could but I couldn't get to my daughter. I'm panicking until I get to see her."
BBC reporter Jamie Morris, who is at the scene, says: "A police cordon is in place but I can see the bus over the significant emergency services presence.
"Behind is a truck, it has a large crane on it, I am presuming that is going to be used to recover the bus from the water.
"The wheels are underwater but the bus is upright and most of it is clear of the water."
Barton Peveril Sixth Form College is updating parents through its Facebook page., external
It says it is doing its best to support students and has given advice to parents.
We've just had these pictures sent in by Damian Down which shows some of the damage left when the double-decker crashed through a railing into the river
Image source, Damian Down
Image source, Damian Down
Image source, Damian Down
Image source, Damian DownBluestar, which operates the double-decker, has said "early reports suggest the bus left the highway and came to rest in a shallow river".
“There were 19 passengers on-board at the time. Our driver and at least two of the passengers have confirmed injuries, and we are awaiting further updates on the status of others on-board," said Richard Tyldsley, Bluestar general manager.
“We do not currently have full details of their injuries and are following their progress closely.
“Our thoughts are with everybody involved, and we wish those who were injured a full and speedy recovery.
“At this time, we do not know the circumstances behind this incident and are carrying out an immediate investigation. We are also assisting the police as they carry out their own enquiries."
The bus crashed in the Hampshire town of Eastleigh, near Southampton.
The B3037 has been closed in both directions and traffic is queueing between Chickenhall Lane to Riverside.
