PASSENGERS miraculously escaped serious injury after two trees fell on a double-decker bus today.

The X6 Morebus was travelling along Ringwood Road towards Poole when the large trees crashed through the top deck, slicing through the bodywork and smashing the front window.

Bournemouth Echo:

Five passengers were on board the bus at the time of the terrifying incident but, fortunately, all of them made it out of the wreckage on foot uninjured, including the bus driver.

Residents reported some passengers were sitting on the top deck at the time of the incident.

Emergency services were called to the scene just before 11.50am. Fire crews, police and paramedics were all dealing with the incident, which happened near the Sweet Home Inn. A lamppost was also badly damaged, and the local council was called out.

Adam Keen, general manager of Morebus, said: “Emergency services were in attendance, and we arranged for another bus to collect our passengers so they could continue their journeys. 

“Our bus was damaged and has been taken away for inspection. Thankfully, this type of event is very rare and I’d like to apologise to our passengers and other road users for any delays.”

Bournemouth Echo:

The trees and bus were cleared from the road around 3pm.

In a bizarre coincidence, a Toyota Yaris in Burton Road, Branksome Park was also crushed by a fallen tree at exactly the same time. Both reports were made to police at 11.49am. The driver of the Yaris was uninjured.

Bournemouth Echo:

A tree also fell down on the Christchurch Bypass towards Stony Lane Roundabout. 

Police were called to the scene shortly before 1pm to manage traffic.

The tree has now been cleared, according to a spokesperson for Dorset Police.

The Met Office issued a last-minute weather warning at around 10.10am after lifting their previous warning issued yesterday.

Bournemouth Echo:

Strong south-westerly winds are bringing gusts of 50-60 mph to the southern counties of England today.

Between 11am and 12pm today, the Met Office said the strongest gust of wind recorded at its nearest weather station at Bournemouth Airport was 45mph.

A spokesperson said that the weather warning was lifted because models had indicated there would be strong winds in the north of the country compared to the south.

However, when looking at the models on Friday morning, the Met Office issued a new warning due to the indication for strong winds "particularly along the south coast". 

Local forecaster Bournemouth & Poole Weather said winds are currently gusting to 50mph but could reach 60mph this afternoon.