A bus driver had a lucky escape after being pinned to her seat by a piece of wood after a road accident.

The woman, who has not been named, had to be cut free by firefighters after the accident at 9.28pm on Saturday.

She was driving the bus, with two passengers on board, when it left the road and collided with a fence at Winterton Farm Cottages on the B1278 road between Sedgefield and Trimdon, County Durham.

A large timber post smashed into the bus windscreen with such force that it went through the glass and pinned the driver to her seat.

Firefighters had to stabilise the bus while paramedics attended to the driver.

They then cut away her seat and led her to safety through the passenger side door.

She was taken to North Tees General Hospital in Stockton, suffering from lacerations and shock. Her injuries were not serious.

Her passengers were shaken but not hurt.

Divisional officer John Robson, of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade, said: "The woman was very lucky because the wood pinned her to the seat. We cut the seat away and although she had been sedated, she was able to speak and was taken to hospital as a precaution."