A school bus which was carrying up to 60 people crashed in a ‘serious road traffic collision’, with eight people ‘significantly’ hurt and requiring medical treatment.
Police and ambulance services attended the scene on the Ballyblack Road East in County Down, Northern Ireland.
The bus overturned and ended up sideways in a field beside the rural road near Carrowdore and Strangford, a village 30 miles from Belfast.
The wrecked blue bus is pictured toppled on its side in a field, cordoned off and surrounded by police.
Shocking images from the scene show the shattered windscreen and schoolchildren standing next to it, clutching their bags.
Shocking images from the scene show the shattered windscreen and schoolchildren standing next to it, clutching their bags
A crowd of schoolchildren waiting by the toppled bus in a field in Northern Ireland
Police and ambulance services attended the scene on the Ballyblack Road East near Carrowdore, Co Down, Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it had dispatched ‘multiple resources’ to the scene and photos show emergency services in a field treating the injured.
In an updated statement, the Ambulance Service said eight people were being treated at the scene for significant injuries.
‘A bus carrying more than 60 passengers has overturned,’ it said.
‘NIAS has dispatched multiple resources to the scene including doctors, emergency crews, advanced paramedics, rapid response paramedics, ambulance officers and the Air Ambulance with HEMS crew on board.
‘Over 50 of the passengers have minor injuries, if any, with eight patients being treated for more significant injuries at the scene.
‘The situation is ongoing and NIAS will release more information as it becomes available.’
Pictured is the top of the bus with its passengers waiting in the field
Pictures from another passing bus show the wrecked blue vehicle on its side in a field
Police and ambulance services attended the scene on the Ballyblack Road East near Carrowdore, Co Down, Northern Ireland. (Google Street view pic)
A specialist rescue team is at the scene of the serious bus crash in Co Down, with the PSNI describing the incident as a ‘serious road traffic collision’.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘Five fire appliances and the specialist rescue team are currently at the scene of a road traffic collision involving an overturned bus on the Ballyblack Road East, Newtownards.’
The South Eastern health trust said it was responding to the major incident: ‘Our staff in the emergency department are preparing to treat anyone who needs our care.
‘We would ask any patient not requiring emergency care to please use alternative services. If your condition is life-threatening, please visit the Emergency Department at the Ulster Hospital as normal.’