A PASSER-BY has described how he helped to drag people out of a double decker bus which had crashed into a ditch.

Lee Michael, 39, was driving to the Two Tides club - house which he runs on the Seaview Holiday Park, on Mersea Island, when he saw the bus had crashed near The Strood.

The 67/67a service was travelling from Colchester to West Mersea when it crashed into the ditch, on Friday at 3.40pm.

Mr Michael ran to the bus, smashed the back window and helped to pull more than 20 people out.

He said: “There were kids screaming and elderly people so I really wanted to help them.

“I am an engineer by trade and thought the weight on the top deck would make it fall on its side so I got everybody to come downstairs and then smashed the back window.

“Then I was pulling them out of the bus.

“The last person out was the driver who was suffering with terrible shock.

“Once everyone was out another person stopped and they got in the back of his van while we waited for help to arrive.

“I was trying to sing a few songs and tell jokes to make sure morale stayed high and I invited them all to the club for a drink when they are all feeling better.”

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

An ambulance crew, ambulance officer and the East Anglia Air Ambulance attended.

Most of the passengers had got off unscathed and just three people were treated by ambulance crews.

A spokesman for First buses said a girl was taken to hospital with minor injuries and the driver and a colleague were suffering from shock.

No other vehicles are thought to be involved.

First Essex tweeted after the accident: “Service 67/67a delays due to accident involv - ing a bus earlier. Mersea Road partially closed. No serious injuries. Apologies for any in - convenience.”

A police officer at the scene described Mr Michael as a hero, but he said he was just doing what he could.

He said: “I was just doing what anyone else would have done.

“There was other people helping out too.

“I had to leave after everybody was out because I had to get the club open.”

Mr Michael believes adverse weather conditions could have led to the crash, which left the double decker bus teetering dangerously on its side.

He said: “It was absolutely pouring down with rain at the time and the wind was really strong.

“I think there might have been a big gust and it just took the bus to the side.”

An investigation is under way into what caused the crash.