A WOMAN suffered head injuries after she was hit by a bus in Durham's North Road on Monday morning.

Police say the 35-year-old, from Brandon, apparently stepped into the road and into the path of the vehicle from between a line of parked cars.

She was hit by the 242 Arriva service to Hartlepool. The 49-seater single decker only had three passengers on at the time.

Neither they nor the driver, aged 63, from Sunderland, were hurt.

The accident happened on the stretch of North Road between the Royal County Hospital and the Garden House pub.

Police said it was a 'coincidence' it happened on the day that the city's bus station closed for refurbishment and buses began using temporary stops along the street at the city centre end of North Road.

The victim was taken the short distance to the University Hospital of North Durham where she was later said to be in a comfortable condition. The road was closed for two hours.

Iain McInroy, operations director for Arriva North-East, said: "One of our buses operating on service 242 was involved in an incident in North Road, Durham.

"A woman was injured after apparently walking out in front of the bus. Our driver, although shaken by the incident, is otherwise unhurt and there are no reported injuries to customers.

"On behalf of Arriva North-East I would like to send this lady our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery."

Any witnesses to the accident are urged to telephone Durham Police's accident investigation unit on (0191) 375 2159.