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| Tenbury Wells bridge collapse: School bus driver saves pupils | Tenbury Wells bridge collapse: School bus driver saves pupils |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A bus driver has described how he saved 11 pupils from plunging into a river by reversing off a collapsing bridge. | |
| Derek Trow, 62, was taking children home from Lindridge St Lawrence CE Primary School in Tenbury Wells. | |
| As he crossed Eastham Bridge he saw the road give way ahead of him and managed to back up moments before it crumbled. | |
| "There was an almighty row and the apex collapsed leaving a drop of about 10ft," he said. "We would have gone down there. We were just lucky." | "There was an almighty row and the apex collapsed leaving a drop of about 10ft," he said. "We would have gone down there. We were just lucky." |
| More reaction and updates from Hereford & Worcester | More reaction and updates from Hereford & Worcester |
| "There were two buses - I was in the lead. I'd just got onto the bridge when I saw just over the apex some of the road had given way. | "There were two buses - I was in the lead. I'd just got onto the bridge when I saw just over the apex some of the road had given way. |
| "I stopped and gestured to the bus behind me to move so I could reverse back to get my wheels off the bridge. | "I stopped and gestured to the bus behind me to move so I could reverse back to get my wheels off the bridge. |
| "I've been driving buses for about 17 years and that's where your training kicks in. You just do it." | "I've been driving buses for about 17 years and that's where your training kicks in. You just do it." |
| The Grade II listed bridge over the River Teme was built in 1793 and was originally a toll road until the council made it free in 1907. | The Grade II listed bridge over the River Teme was built in 1793 and was originally a toll road until the council made it free in 1907. |
| West Mercia Police was called out to the A443 in Lindridge to divert traffic after the collapse at 15:30 BST on Tuesday. | West Mercia Police was called out to the A443 in Lindridge to divert traffic after the collapse at 15:30 BST on Tuesday. |
| Worcestershire County Council said the area had been made safe and an investigation had been launched into what happened. | Worcestershire County Council said the area had been made safe and an investigation had been launched into what happened. |
| The diversion along the A443 is still in place, said the council. | The diversion along the A443 is still in place, said the council. |