A TWO-year-old girl suffered a serious head injury when a van smashed into the back of a bus in County Durham.

The toddler was one of five occupants of a Ford Transit which hit the bus as it slowed for passengers at a stop between Shildon and Bishop Auckland.

She and her mother were taken by ambulance to The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. 

Her condition was described by Durham police as serious.

The male van driver and two other girls, aged one and six, are understood to have suffered whiplash-like injuries and were transported to Darlington Memorial Hospital.

The silver Transit had been travelling down the B6282 Adelaide Bank into South Church when it collided with the rear of the Arriva single-decker at the Rosemount Road bus stop.

It sustained significant damage to the front of the vehicle.

Around ten people were travelling on the bus at the time of the crash, around 12.45pm on Friday, February 24, and all escaped injury. They were able to continue their journey on a replacement bus service. 

Officers from the collision investigation unit, based at Spennymoor, attended the scene and closed the road from South Church Industrial Estate to the junction for Coronation.

Sergeant Simon Kestle said: “An investigation is underway.

“No other vehicles were involved and we have details of the bus passengers, but we’re still appealing for witnesses who saw what happened to get in touch.”

  • Durham Police are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 101.