A dramatic Christmas Eve crash in Bournemouth, Dorset, left two people seriously injured and a young girl rescued from the wreckage of a car after it collided with a double-decker bus.
The incident occurred at 8:09 PM on Wallisdown Road near the Mountbatten roundabout, where a blue Skoda Octavia struck the right-hand side of the bus “at full speed.” Emergency services arrived to find the Skoda severely damaged, with one door hanging off and smoke rising from the vehicle.
Heroic Rescue Effort
Local reports indicate that two passers-by pulled the female passenger from the car before emergency services arrived. The male driver and female passenger, both in their 30s, were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Two bus passengers were treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Scene of the Collision
Dramatic photos show the wrecked Skoda beside the road and the pink number six bus with smashed windows, leaving shards of glass scattered across the area. The bus operator, Morebus, confirmed that its driver escaped uninjured but was shaken by the incident.
Richard Wade, general manager of Morebus, said:
“Our driver was uninjured but understandably shaken and is being supported by our team. We wish all those involved a speedy recovery.”
Police Appeal for Witnesses
Sergeant Lee Savage of the Roads Policing Team called for witnesses to come forward:
“We are conducting enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this collision. I urge anyone who witnessed the incident or saw the manner of driving of the vehicles involved prior to the collision to contact us.”
Motorists with dashcam footage from the Ringwood Road and Wallisdown Road area at the time are encouraged to review it for relevant evidence.
Road Closures and Investigation
The crash prompted road closures, allowing emergency responders to secure the scene and begin investigations. The police thanked the public for their patience during the disruption.
Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Dorset Police by calling 101 and quoting incident reference 24/12/2024.
