Bus bursts into flames in Hertfordshire

Passengers have had a lucky escape after their bus burst into flames.

The 102 service from Hitchin to Luton was carrying 16 people including secondary school pupils when it was engulfed by fire in the village of Great Offley in Hertfordshire.

The bus began to fill with smoke and was evacuated only moments before the fire took hold. It's not known was caused the blaze.

Watch this report from ITV News Anglia's Sarah Beecroft at the scene

Video supplied by ITV News Anglia viewer Callum Duncan

An Arriva bus travelling from Hitchin in Hertfordshire to Luton has caught fire on the A505 at Offley.

The 102 service was carrying 16 passengers including secondary school students.

The heat from the fire has caused damaged to the road and also nearby properties are believed to be affected.

Investigations are being carried out at the scene by the fire service and police.

The fire has been put out and nobody was hurt. The driver of the bus also managed to get out safely.

The bus is thought to have been carrying school pupils when it began to fill with black smoke.

Photographs show the charred vehicle badly damaged by the flames.

A busload of passengers has escaped from the vehicle moments before it burst into flames.

It's understood the bus had secondary school pupils as passengers when it began to fill with smoke. It not thought that anyone was hurt.

The incident happened on the A505 at Offley in Herfordshire close to Hitchin.