Bus' top deck is sliced off

A learner driver turned his double decker into an open top bus – after smashing it into a low bridge near Wolverhampton today.

The entire top deck was ripped off and left lying on the road following the accident in Four Ashes.

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The embarrassed National Express West Midlands driver, who was alongside an instructor and another trainee, had been following a set training route when disaster struck just before 9am on Station Drive.

The firm, formerly known as Travel West Midlands, is now investigating.

Stunned residents in the quiet village described it as "an accident waiting to happen" as many lorries and large vehicles try to use the route to get to Four Ashes Industrial Estate.

Mark Westwood, a 41-year-old self-employed farmer from Station Drive, said: "I was making myself a cup of coffee in my kitchen when I heard a loud bang, bang, bang. It was an unbelievable sight. Fortunately no-one has been injured but this was an accident waiting to happen."

Mr Westwood revealed how only last week, half his garden wall was demolished by a continental truck trying to reverse up his drive. And he said that a training bus had been forced to turn around a couple of weeks ago when using the route.

"I think some of them think they are in single decker buses," he said.

Helen Davies, a 57-year-old company secretary, said: "We have all taken photographs of the incident to support our case to stop large vehicles using this road."

The bridge, which accommodates the main passenger train route from Wolverhampton to Scotland, is 12ft 3in, but the bus height is 14ft 9in. Trains were running as normal.

Stuart Henry, of National Express West Midlands, said: "We will be conducting an internal investigation."

Staffordshire Police spokeswoman Emma Stanley said there was slight damage to a Black VW Golf and a white Astra which were travelling behind the bus.

The road was sealed off for an hour while Tipton firm RS Recovery removed the bus.