Two children have been taken to hospital after a school bus crash near Saffron Walden.
The roof of the bus was ripped off when it hit the branch of a tree on a country lane at Clavering.
Emergency services – including the air ambulance – were called to the incident during this morning’s rush hour.
It happened at around 8:15am in Clatterbury Lane.
Audio: Lucy heard the incident and explains what she saw
The ambulance service said three children were assessed at the scene. Two were taken to Addenbrookes hospital for further treatment.
Later in the afternoon, it emerged some passengers attended hospital independently of the emergency services and five have sustained injuries considered to be serious, but none considered life-threatening or life-changing.
The fire service says nobody was trapped in the bus and the scene was made safe by 9am.
On arrival, crews reported finding a car and bus had been in a collision, said Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
"The bus had also collided with a tree branch causing extensive damage to the roof," it said.
"Nobody was trapped in either vehicle and firefighters worked alongside partners to make the scene safe by 9am."
Picture: Dawn Philpott