AN investigation is under way after a bus went out of control and hit a car, a roadside barrier and trees.

The Arriva vehicle ended up yards from a college and museum after its brakes apparently failed yesterday.

The transport company and Cleveland Police are investigating the incident, which took place in Church Square, Hartlepool, at about 9.20am.

People nearby said they heard the initial crash and were shocked to see the bus heading towards Christ Church, a museum and art gallery in the busy town centre area.

One witness said: "I thought it was going to go straight into the church, but it hit a tree and that seemed to slow it down.

"There were quite a few people around at the time because the art college is nearby, and it was lucky that nobody was hit."

Police said the driver was badly shaken, but none of the passengers was hurt in the incident.

Iain McInroy, the operations manager for Arriva North-East, said: "The bus came into contact with another vehicle, a barrier and some trees. There were no reported injuries as a result.

"We are, of course, working with the police and other relevant authorities to establish the cause of the incident."