'I'm lucky to be alive': Family speaks of 'scary' moment First Bus double-decker crashes into house

• Watch Joshua Rich describe the moment a double decker hit his family home

A Bristol family's home, partially destroyed by a double-decker, have said they are grateful to be alive, even though their Christmas plans have been dashed.

The Rich's were all in their house in Bishopsworth when a First West of England bus crashed into the side of the property just before 10pm on Thursday night (16 December).

Joshua Rich, who lives with his parents at the two-storey home, was just about to sleep when he was disturbed by the collision.

"I heard a bang, it was like a bomb explosion, the house shook," he said.

"I went downstairs, and obviously I was careful, and I just asked what's going on, and then my mum just said: 'a bus has just gone in the side of the house.'"

"Tried to get what we could out - all the clothes I'm wearing now are still, I'm still wearing those, and we just tried to get out the house as quick as possible," he added.

Joshua's father, Hayden, was in the front room with his wife and two dogs when the bus partially destroyed the room next door. He described the moments after the horrifying crash as "utter chaos".

Hayden said: "Sat in the front room, me and my wife... and we heard a large bang that we thought was like an empty lorry banging, like a quarry lorry, a loud bang.

"We didn't know if it was a gas explosion, an electric explosion, we just didn't know. A plume of dust coming through the front door and people shouting, and we still didn't know what had happened.

"The front door had gone, was tilted, and there was a man from across the road, a roofer we know, and he was just trying to get us out.

"He was panicking, he didn't know if we were hurt. He was just shouting at me: 'A bus has hit your house!' Utter chaos."

• Hear Hayden describe the moment the bus hit his home

'We're alive and with not a scratch - somebody up there is looking after us'

Despite the enormous amount of damage to the front of the property, luckily none of the Rich family or their two dogs were hurt.

The family is grateful to have emerged unscathed and feels fortunate that the crash was not worse.

Joshua said: "I'm lucky because the house could have collapsed, it was really scary and I'm lucky to be alive and I'm just happy that we're all still here."

Hayden echoed his son's thoughts. He said: "We're here, we're alive and with not a scratch, and I think somebody 'up there' is looking after us.

"You've got to be positive with this negative, you know what I mean? The glass has got to be half full, I think.

"I think we're lucky to be here so there are other people in worse situations and this is rebuildable," he added.

But although it is rebuildable, the family will not be able to host their 19 relatives for Christmas as planned.

Instead, Hayden said his brother will play host to the family festivities, while he and his wife and son will stay at his mother's house.

Hayden, an electrician by trade, has estimated that work to fix their home will take between three and six months.

His son also believes that the front of the building will have to be taken down and rebuilt from scratch.

The damage is all the more painful given the family only moved in one year ago and were just completing a £20,000 kitchen refurbishment.

But Hayden has said the crash has now left their new kitchen "slightly askew".

He adds that the insurance company have been supporting the family, as well as Avon and Somerset Police.

Heydon said: "I've spoken to the insurance company, they're all on board and they've been brilliant this morning... Hopefully, we'll get it secured and then get it rebuilt".

His message following the crash is simple: "We're a positive people so keep positive, I think that's the way to go forward."

Avon and Somerset Police are investigating the crash, which saw a VW Golf collide with a number 75 bus that then hit the house.

The driver of the Golf fled the scene before officers arrived.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or saw the driver of the Golf is being urged to contact the force by calling 101 and quoting reference number 5222299943.

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