Lancaster bus accident victim speaks of traumatic experience

This is how one great-grandmother has described her bus journey which ended in four elderly people being injured after an accident in Lancaster.

Sandra Davies got on the 55 Stagecoach bus as she does every week to go to St John’s Hospice on Slyne Road, where she volunteers.

The 72-year-old was chatting to her friend when she was suddenly slung forward into an iron bar.

“It was like someone dropping a concrete slab on my heart,” said Sandra who lives in Lancaster. “I had only been on about eight minutes, we were pulling up to the stop near Beaumont Bridge, and then the next thing I knew I was flung into the bar.

“All I can remember is a big force, this massive brake.”

Screaming and crying shook Sandra from the bus floor and as she pulled herself up she could hear the bus driver calling for an ambulance.

Feeling faint, Sandra then rang her eldest daughter.

“I couldn’t believe what happened, I just couldn’t take it in,” said the mum-of-two.

“The pain was too much and I was thinking this is it, I am going.

“I kept trying to keep upright and not pass out.

“When my daughter arrived I was relieved, because it was someone I knew.”

The bus was full with passengers, travelling on Owen Road when the accident happened on January 25.

Sandra was seated on the right hand side, away from 
the window next to her friend before she was flung forwards.

Police and paramedics were called at around 12.50pm after reports of a bus accident.

At the time one witness said the bus had to brake suddenly to avoid a car turning sharply to go into the nearby car wash.

Sandra suffered bruising down her left side, on her arm and chest and had to miss her granddaughter’s 21st party.

“If the bus had been going fast, I wouldn’t have stood a chance,” she said.
“I have been very lucky.”

A man and wife were also hurt, with the woman suffering a broken leg and another woman had a bad arm injury. All injured were pensioners.

Sandra has been to hospital twice and is assisting police with their investigation.

Shewould like to thank paramedics and police for their help.

The driver of the bus was uninjured.

A Stagecoach spokesman said their thoughts are with those who have been hurt and they will not be commenting further whilst the investigation continues.

Anyone with information should contact 101 quoting 0589 of January 25.