A school bus carrying 29 children careered off the A36 near Ower roundabout and crashed into a ditch on Thursday morning. The coach was transporting 29 pupils and four teachers on a school trip when it veered off the southbound carriageway.
The bus smashed into a roadside ditch close to the Ower roundabout. Astonishingly, all 29 children escaped injury. One teacher suffered a minor leg injury and was treated at the scene.
The 48-year-old coach driver, from Hungerford, also sustained minor injuries and was taken to Southampton General Hospital as a precaution. He has since been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drink or drugs. The driver remains in police custody.
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson said: “We are currently dealing with a single vehicle collision on the A36 between the Ower roundabout and Junction 2 of the M27. The school is aware of the incident and all parents have been contacted.”
Emergency crews from Eastleigh, Redbridge, St Mary’s, and Totton fire stations rushed to the crash site alongside police and paramedics. The southbound A36 has been closed for several hours while the coach is recovered and police carry out their investigation.
Authorities have urged drivers to avoid the area and thanked the public for their patience during the ongoing recovery and investigation efforts.
Originally published by UKNIP.
