Scottish Catholic Observer

Five children have been taken to hospital after the coach crashed down a verge outside the North Lanarkshire school (above), on Thursday morning.

Police and emergency services were called to the scene just outside the school on Dowanfield Road before 9am and found the single-decker bus had flipped onto its side.

It is understood the pupils were being taken to the school from the Abronhill area of Cumbernauld. The engine caught fire after the vehicle careered down the verge outside the school.

Our Lady’s High school said paramedics were in attendance but no one was seriously injured and parents were notified of the incident via text message.

A Scottish fire service spokeswoman said : ‘The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 8.45am on Thursday to reports of a bus on fire close to Our Lady’s High School in Cumbernauld.

“Three fire appliances were immediately mobilised to the scene. The bus had overturned on its side and fire-fighters put out the small fire in the engine compartment. Fire-fighters remain at the scene,” said the spokeswoman’.

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council, said: ‘A single decker bus overturned just before 9am this morning close to Our Lady’s High School, Cumbernauld.

The bus was coming from the Abronhill area (Moss Road), with around 30 pupils on board. At the moment there are no reports of serious injuries. However, two pupils have been taken to hospital as a precaution’.

“Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Paramedics are currently on site. The pupils are being attended to by school staff and emergency services in the assembly hall. All parents have been contacted,”  the council spokesman said.