Steam engine bus crash: Passengers were 'fortunate'

Two passengers on a bus which crashed with a lorry carrying a steam engine say it was fortunate there were not more people seriously injured.

Bill and Jan Harvey praised the emergency services for their response to Wednesday's crash near Colchester.

Police are appealing for footage of the incident in which 23 people were hurt.

A 51-year-old Great Yarmouth man arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving has been released on police bail.

The steam engine is believed to have collided with the bus when it fell off a lorry in East Mersea.

Of the 23 injured, seven were seriously hurt including the 44-year-old bus driver from Colchester.

Among the 16 injured and walking wounded were Mr and Mrs Harvey, who had taken the bus to go shopping in Colchester.

Mrs Harvey, 63, a retired school supervisor from Grays Close, West Mersea, suffered injuries to her cheek in the accident.

She said: "All I remember is an impact and being thrown off my seat, trying to save myself on the other side by holding one of the handles of the seats.

"There was another shunt and then I let go because I was squished along the floor. A lady landed on top of me," she said.

Mr Harvey, 65, a retired school site manager, was uninjured. He said: "It was very lucky there weren't more seriously injured."

Essex Police said there were 35 people, including the driver, on the number 67 bus when it crashed, have appealed for dashcam footage of the incident.

Officers believe the lorry had travelled from Lowestoft, Suffolk, on Wednesday morning and have appealed for information.

The bus driver, who was taken to the Royal London Hospital, is in a critical but stable condition.