<images coaches School children had a near miss today in this accident on the A23 earlier today>

Children on a school outing had a lucky escape today when their coach lost two wheels on a busy dual carriageway.

The coach, which belonged to Plumpton Motor Coaches, came to a halt on the south-bound carriageway of the A23 at Pyecombe.

One half of its nearside double-back wheel had already fallen off somewhere along its route. At 9.40am the coach was passing the Henfield turn-off when the remaining back wheel also spun off, bringing the vehicle grinding to a halt.

The heavy wheel, stripped of its tyre, was sent bouncing along the road and hit a lorry which was travelling in the same direction causing tyre damage.

No one was injured in the accident, though the children's outing was delayed while they waited for the company to send a replacement coach.

It is thought to be rare for a coach to lose both parts of a double-back wheel. An investigation into the incident has begun.

An eye witness said: "There was a lot of chaos on the A23 with the coach sprawled across the road."

A police spokesman said: "The driver called and reported the lost tyre. No one was injured but as it happened on the A23, it was bound to cause disruption."

No one from Plumpton Motor Coaches was available for comment.