Cambridge schoolchildren escape bus fire

More than 50 children on a school trip escaped from their double decker bus yesterday after it caught fire.

The children and staff from Milton Road Primary School were travelling to Lackford Lakes near Bury St Edmunds when the blaze started.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was called at 10.25am to the incident involving the double decker bus, which was 'well alight', in Marham Parkway off the A1101 at Marham Park.

A statement from the fire service said: “The Fire Service were called to a bus fire involving a double decker bus. The fire service used two breathing apparatus and two hose reels to extinguish the fire. All passengers were evacuated off the bus and checked over by Ambulance.”

The East of England Ambulance Service was called as six children and one adult were asthmatic and were exposed to some smoke. The bus was carrying 53 children and 14 adults. All passengers were accounted for.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We are aware that there was a fire on a coach carrying children from Milton Road Primary School to Lackford Lakes near Bury St Edmunds. There were no injuries and all the children were evacuated safely and another coach was sent to take the children back to school.

“We take the safety of our schoolchildren very seriously and the DVSA, which regulates school transport, carries out regular safety checks on school vehicles.”