FOURTEEN passengers were trapped on a bus after a serious crash in a busy Southampton street yesterday.

It happened when the double decker bus they were travelling on collided with a car in Shirley Road.

Emergency services rushed to the accident, which involved a white Hyundai, and shut the road in both directions for two hours.

The door of the double-decker, which was on its way to Romsey, had been left jammed by the impact of the crash – trapping all those on board.

Firefighters had to force open the doors to allow paramedics on board.

Two people were taken to Southampton General Hospital suffering from minor injuries.

The crash happened at 11.22am at the junction of Cawte Road and Shirley Road.

As a result of the accident and the debris on the road, bus services 4, 17 and 18 to were diverted via Waterloo Road.

South Central Ambulance Service were called to the scene shortly after 11.30am with crews from Redbridge and St Mary’s fire stations on hand to help free the passengers.

Gary Judd, business manager of nearby Hampshire Motorcycle, said he rushed outside as soon as he heard the accident.

He said: “We heard a tremendous crash and saw the bus had gone into the gentleman’s vehicle.

“The bus driver was very distressed, there was such an impact. The doors were inoperable – the passengers and the driver were on there for a considerable amount of time.”

Seventy-one-year-old Valery Kinsella, of Shirley Road, who lived just doors away, said: “I heard a bang and I opened the door and saw the bus in the condition it was, but I didn’t know what happened.”

A spokesman for Bluestar, which operates the route, declined to say whether an investigation was to be carried out into the incident.

In statement the firm said: “We apologise for any delays experienced and any inconvenience this has caused.”

Both vehicles were towed away allowing the road to be opened at 2pm. The drivers of the vehicles were unharmed but were said to be shocked by the incident.