Driver claims brakes stopped working and accelerator ‘jammed’ before vehicle veered off the road.

Sixth form students shouted “we’re going to die” as their double-decker bus careered into a river in Hampshire.

Footage filmed by a passenger on the bus showed the moment that it veered off the road and crashed through railings into the River Itchen in Eastleigh on Thursday morning.

The driver, who was one of five people taken to hospital, said his brakes stopped working and his accelerator “jammed”, according to witnesses.

In the mobile phone footage, a student is heard saying: “Oh my god, the bus has just had a major crash and now he’s speeding off.”

The footage shows the bus driving on both sides of Bishopstoke Road, with the front window of its upper deck appearing to be damaged.

“We’re going to die, we’re actually going to die,” the person filming is heard saying.

The bus then crashed through barriers and into the river as the students on board from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College screamed.

The driver and one passenger, who were taken to hospital, are in a “serious but not life-threatening” condition, Hampshire Constabulary said.

Freddie Sampson, an 18-year-old student on board, said the driver had “lost control” after crashing into a lamp-post.

He told BBC News: “We ran into a lamp-post and the whole windscreen shattered.

“It was like we couldn’t stop and had to weave through traffic, trying not to hit any cars and then the bus driver lost control. We went flying into the river.”

Mr Sampson said that one passenger had been “quite badly injured on their head” and that others were treated for cuts.

Police said 14 passengers were treated for less serious injuries at the scene after five ambulances and two air ambulances were deployed.

Pictures show the bus standing upright, with the wheels of the vehicle submerged in the water. Both front windows of the bus were smashed.

Kelly West was working from home when she heard the bus screeching and saw it “careering into the river”.

She added that the driver said his brakes were “not working” and the accelerator had “jammed”, meaning that he was “doing the best he could to avoid cars as he was coming down the road”.

Ms West helped the “shocked” students who were able to get off the bus out of the water and into her garden nearby.

Bruno Aguiar, an electrician who lives in Eastleigh, was first on the scene. He was on his way to work when his van was almost struck by the bus.

Dashcam footage from his van shows the moment the bus crashed into the river.

Mr Aguiar said: “I saw the bus coming really fast. I swerved to the pavement, and the bus came into the middle of both lanes.

“It hit a red Corsa from a driving school and then went into the river. I came out of my van to see what had happened.

“I went to check on the driver, and he was asking for an ambulance. I saw it was full of children.”

Bruno pulled a ladder from his van to help bring the students to safety. He added that another man wearing a Bluestar uniform, believed to have been passing by, was “really quick to help” in getting the children off the bus.

The crash caused the front windows of the bus to smash Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA

Mr Aguiar said: “I wasn’t thinking clearly. The children were all panicked. A child doesn’t think; they wait for help.

“They were bleeding from the head and from the arms. I think it was a miracle nobody was more seriously injured.”

A South Central Ambulance Service said: “We’re continuing to support and assess patients on scene. All patients have been removed from the bus.

“Three high-priority patients are being taken to hospital. Around 14 with less serious injuries are being treated on scene.”

Bluestar Bus, the bus company involved, said the driver was among those injured, and that there were 19 passengers on board at the time of the crash.

Scott Agass, the father of a 17-year-old on board, said: “He doesn’t really know what happened or what caused it. I suppose it just happened so quick. All he saw was that it crashed and gone in the river.”

Emergency services attended the scene Credit: Dean Owens/Solent News & Photo Agency

Jonathan Holdstock, a resident, said: “It was half 10 when I heard a bunch of sirens. When I heard it was a bus in the river, I didn’t believe it.”

Insp Andy Tester, of Hampshire Constabulary, said a total of 20 people were on board the bus, 19 of whom were passengers.

He said: “My thoughts are very much with the children and the driver on the bus, who must have had a terrifying experience.”

Mr Tester added that several people, including the driver, were trapped on board when emergency services arrived.

He said: “There were a large number of specialist resources helping to get people out of the bus.

“Some people had got themselves out of the bus, and it was obviously important to us to triage the injured people, to assess the people who were still stuck in the bus, and to make sure we had accounted for everyone.”

Mr Tester added: “We believe that everyone, every passenger on the bus, was a student heading to Barton Peveril college.

The road remains closed at the scene Credit: Ollie Thompson/Solent News and Photo Agency

A spokesman for Barton Peveril Sixth Form College said: “We are aware of an incident involving the college 607 bus. College staff are working closely with the police to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.”

Richard Tyldsley, the Bluestar general manager, said: “One of our buses, carrying students to Barton Peveril College, was involved in an incident earlier this morning in Bishopstoke Road, Eastleigh. Reports suggest the bus left the highway and came to rest in a shallow river.

“Our driver and at least two of the passengers have confirmed injuries, and we are awaiting further updates on the status of others on board. At this time, we do not know the circumstances behind this incident, and are carrying out an immediate investigation.”

Hampshire Constabulary said the road had been closed and anticipated that would continue to be the case for up to 12 hours.

A force spokesman said: “Everyone on the bus has been accounted for, and all injured persons are being treated by the ambulance service.

“We ask that people do not attend the actual scene. Parents will be contacted by the college, as an incident centre has been established at The Hub at Bishopstoke.