A DRIVER managed to get off a bus minutes before it burst into flames.

The double decker bus caught alight in Church Street, Coggeshall, at about 8.32am yesterday morning.

When firefighters arrived they found the driver had already safely got off the bus.

The bus had just dropped children off at Honywood School, and about 30 people were evacuated from the nearby St Peter's School as there was smoke in the area.

The road was shut so firefighters could safely deal with the fire.

Fire crews managed to put out the fire and left the scene in the care of the police and bus company at 10am.

The cause of the fire was accidental due to an engine fault.

Braintree and Witham Times:

Photo by Paul Thorogood

Braintree and Witham Times:

Photo by John Parish