The roof of a double-decker bus has been ripped clean off in a collision with a railway bridge.
Witnesses described an “incredible bang” as the National Express West Midlands bus smashed into the bridge near Cadbury World in Bournville, cleaving the roof from the upper deck and leaving it lying on the road.
The scene on Bournville Lane was left strewn with debris from the topless double-decker, which was not carrying passengers at the time.
One witness wrote on Facebook: “So a bus just drove under Bournville Lane bridge and took the top clean off… only just stopped shaking, the bang was incredible. Thankfully driver was OK and no passengers on.”
Images showed the bus parked up in front of a row of houses, its roof gone but all the seats seemingly intact.
Another wrote: “There must be easier ways – someone has just driven a double decker bus under the Bournville bridge and completely removed the roof! Now parked outside our house.”
Police, paramedics and the fire service were quickly on the scene.
West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic Ben Pallante tweeted: “Slightly different end to my shift tonight. We responded to reports of a bus vs bridge in South Birmingham, upon arrival a double decker bus had gone through a bridge… Thankfully no customers were on board and the driver had no injuries.”
A tweet on the Kings Norton Community Fire Station pages simply said: “Double decker v bridge. Bridge wins. Not in service no one hurt. Crews making area safe with @Bournbrookfire.”