Schoolchildren evacuated from burning coach in Shropshire
A coach carrying schoolchildren had to be evacuated when the vehicle caught fire between Telford and Shrewsbury.
Two fire crews were called to the B5061 at Overley at about 3.15pm on Wednesday.
Andy Maxwell, who had been passing in his car at the time and pulled up in a nearby lay-by, said smoke was billowing from the coach.
He said: "I could see the smoke and I saw the kids on the side of the road.
"I pulled into a lay-by and I realised the smoke was starting to billow out more.
"I started hearing pops from the coach and suddenly the trees overhanging the lay-by where the coach was caught fire.
"The fire engine got there and put it out in seconds."
He said he had spoken to the coach driver who told him the vehicle had suddenly lost power.
"I was told that there had been schoolchildren on the coach but they all got off," Andy said.
"It looked like it had been two-thirds full."
A spokesman for A Star Transport in Ketley, which owns the coach, said inquiries were being made to find out what had caused the fire.
He said: "We've had a couple of vehicles tampered with in our yard so we are trying to rule that out.
"The driver smelled diesel and pulled over and got the children off and moved them to a place of safety."
