A SERVICE bus collided into a charity shop as it carried children from school and other passengers into a town centre.

Glass imploded into the bus and fell on to the pavement when the Go North East double-decker bus hit the PDSA charity shop, as it turned off Front Street, and on to a side road, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

According to the transport company, the 885 service bus had to take action as it turned down High Chare and saw a car coming in the opposite direction.

The bus mounted the pavement and scraped past the corner of the charity shop, causing the fascia of the building to shatter two upstairs windows. Luckily, the passengers escaped unhurt.

A passer-by, who witnessed the accident, said: "It's amazing no-one was hurt. If anyone had been on the pavement, they would have been in serious trouble, either cut by flying glass, or caught under the wheels of the bus."

Julie Martin, manager of the charity shop, said there had been a volunteer and stock and sales assistant in the building when it was hit.

Several police cars attended the accident and traffic was diverted until the damage had been surveyed and it was deemed safe to move the bus.

A spokesman for Go North East said: "Basically, it turned the corner and clipped one of the buildings. There was a car coming in the opposite direction. There was some glass, but nobody suffered any injuries.

"We will be conducting our own investigations into how it happened and to prevent any future incidents."