Bus taken off road after boys fell from window

A bus which that teenage boys were on when they fell through a top deck window has been taken out of service.

Two 13-year-olds and a 14-year-old were injured in the fall after the bus stopped on Bolton Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Tameside, shortly before 16:00 GMT on 7 January.

In a joint letter to parents, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School confirmed the vehicle had been taken off the road.

They said they were continuing to help with a joint investigation also involving Greater Manchester Police and the bus operator Vision Bus Company.

"The vehicle involved has been taken out of service while this work is completed," the letter said.

The boys were not seriously injured and were released from hospital just before the weekend.

The letter, signed by headteacher Mark Dumican and Alison Chew, interim director of TfGM, said: "I know many of you will be concerned about the incident on the 950 bus service.

"I also know that your key concerns will be with the safety of bus services and the health of the boys who fell out of the window.

"As you will have seen in the press, thankfully none of the boys' injuries were life-threatening and they have recovered or are recovering from those injuries."

The letter added that both school and transport bosses wanted to "reassure parents that safety remains the highest priority".

"Any findings from the investigation will be used to ensure the continued safe operation of services used by students," it added.

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