Passers-by pulled a young girl from a mangled vehicle after a car ploughed into a bus during a horror Christmas Eve night crash.
The collision saw a blue Skoda Octavia career ‘at full speed’ into the right hand front side of a double-decker bus in Bournemouth, Dorset.
The male driver and female passenger in the Skoda, both in their 30s, were taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
There are local reports that the female passenger was pulled free from the wreckage of the smoking vehicle by two passers-by before the emergency services arrived.
Two bus passengers were also treated for minor injuries at the scene following the incident on Wallisdown Road, near to the Mountbatten roundabout, on the outskirts of Poole at 8.09pm last night.
Dramatic pictures show the crumpled Skoda smouldering by the roadside with one door hanging off.
The pink number six bus was also badly damaged with shards of glass from its smashed windows remaining strewn across the scene today as police investigate the circumstances of the collision.
Officers are appealing for witnesses and motorists with relevant dashcam footage to come forward.
Sergeant Lee Savage, of the Roads Policing Team, said: ‘We are conducting enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this collision and I am keen to hear from any witnesses who have not already spoken to police.
‘We are looking to speak to witnesses to the collision itself as well as the manner of driving of the vehicles involved prior to it.
‘I would also urge any motorists who were travelling in the area of Ringwood Road and Wallisdown Road in Poole around the time of the collision to please review any available dashcam footage to see if they have captured anything of relevance.
‘Finally, I would like to thank members of the public for their patience during the road closures, which were put in place to allow the emergency services to respond and enquiries at the scene to be conducted.’
Bus operator, Morebus, said the bus driver escaped injury but was left ‘shaken’ after the incident and is receiving support.
Richard Wade, Morebus general manager, said: ‘One of our route 6 buses was involved in an incident yesterday evening on Wallisdown Road in Bournemouth when a third party vehicle collided with the front of the bus on approach to Mountbatten roundabout.
‘There were three passengers on-board the bus at the time, and two were treated for minor injuries at the scene, before continuing their journeys.
‘Our driver was uninjured but understandably shaken and is being supported by our team.
‘We wish all those involved a speedy recovery.
‘Both the bus and car sustained significant damage, and were dealt with by engineers and police as they began their investigations into the circumstances behind the incident.’