Three school children have been taken to hospital after a coach fire on a school bus.

About 60 people including pupils of Storrington First School were en route to Beaulieu Motor Museum when the incident took place at 8.45am today (January 25).

All the pupils managed to escape safely following the fire on the A29 London Road near the Whiteways Lodge Roundabout in Arundel.

Headteacher of the school Garry Smart said: "I am very grateful for the superb response to the situation by the emergency services and staff.

"The children have been safely returned back to school and have been collected by their families."

Sergeant Alan Spicer of Sussex Police's Roads Policing Unit said: "I would like to praise the teachers and children from Storrington First School for the way they conducted themselves during this incident.

"They remained calm throughout and listened to the direction of the emergency services."

All the passengers left the coach and were taken to another coach which had been called to meet them. Three children have been taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and no other injuries have been reported.

The families of the children taken to hospital have been informed.

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