A BUS had to be evacuated after it caught fire yesterday.

Passengers on the number 33 Arriva bus noticed smoke coming from the rear as it headed past Hart village, near Hartlepool, on the A179.

Firefighters were called to extinguish a small fire in the rear engine of the bus at about 12.30pm.

Terry Connor, sub-officer at Stranton fire station in Hartlepool, said: "It appears to have been caused by an electrical or mechanical defect.

"Smoke did go in the bus but there was no casualties and everyone was very calm about it when we arrived."

A spokesman for Arriva said customers were transferred to another bus, which arrived about 30 minutes after the fire brigade was called