Three children injured after school bus roof ripped off in crash

Three children have been injured when a school bus crashed into a railway bridge, police have said.

Gwent Police said it received a report of a crash in Tregare Street, Newport, at about 07:45 BST on Tuesday.

The bus was travelling with pupils from St Julian's School, Heather Road, and Ysgol Gyfun Gwent Is Coed, a Welsh‑medium secondary school on Duffryn Way.

Worried mum Jo Townsend's 13-year-old son, Gruff, was one of the pupils taken to hospital. She said: "I was worried, frantic. I went under the tape, I was getting to my son."

Newport Transport said it takes matters of safety "extremely seriously" and that it was establishing the full circumstances of the incident.

The pupils' injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, the force said, but the children have been taken to hospital for treatment.

Crews from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service attended the scene, and the road was closed with diversions in place, but has since reopened.

Jo Townsend said: "You send them off to school and you think everything will be OK... you don't expect anything like this to happen."

Transport for Wales said the bus hit a bridge at Maindee West between Newport and Cwmbran.

Townsend said: "The whole top of the bus came off. My son was sat at the top back of the bus which was probably the worst place."

She said Gruff was "incredulous" when he called her.

"He said, 'I can't believe it mum'. He was tripping over his words. He was shocked. He's got scratches and bumps on his back," she said.

"He said it all went dark and then lights were flickering, there was the sounds of screaming and metal scraping metal."

Townsend, from Maindy, Newport, said Gruff was "hit in the head with a pole" during the crash, but was OK and being treated for bumps and scratches.

"Luckily there isn't a lot of blood. He was very, very lucky," she said.

She said a nearby nursery, Lullabyz, had moved its children elsewhere to allow paramedics to use the site to treat the injured.

There did not appear to be any visible damage to the bridge, and the bus had been removed from the scene by midday on Tuesday, with the ripped-off roof recovered first.

However, visible damage to the bus showed the extent of the crash as the rear of the upper floor had bent back on itself.

During First Minister's Questions, Rhun ap Iorwerth said his thoughts were with the children involved.

"We're grateful to the emergency services for their swift response and to everybody involved in supporting the children affected," he said.

"This is an ongoing police investigation so it would be an appropriate think for me to comment further, but our thoughts are very much with those injured and those, for whom this has caused anxiety today."

Newport council thanked the nursery for its response, which will continue to "offer support through the schools to those affected."

"There will naturally be a formal investigation into the incident, and the council will fully support that process," it added.

A Newport Transport spokesperson said they "wish those who have been affected a swift recovery" as they carry out a full investigation.

"We are continuing to establish the full circumstances of the incident and are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities," they said.

The council also apologised for the disruption to rail passengers.

During rush hour, commuters at Newport station faced significant travel disruption, with Transport for Wales reporting delays and cancellations throughout most of Tuesday morning, in both directions between Newport and Hereford.

Newport council said it was working closely with the emergency services and its priority was "ensuring the well-being" of those involved.

Additional reporting by Jessica Johnson