A STAGECOACH bus crash left passengers terrified as they smashed into a digger in Saltcoats.

On Wednesday, August 28, at around 2.15pm the bus ploughed into a tractor sending shards of glass towards customers on board.

Witnesses were stunned with some in tears as they heard a massive bang followed by the sharp jolt on Jacks Road towards Argyle Road.

The crash left some suffering from whiplash and pains but admitted it was ‘remarkable that no one was hurt a lot worse’.

One passenger Alexandra Lennox, 47, said: “I got up this morning and I just broke down because I didn’t know if it was the crash getting to me.

“I think yesterday I was just walking about in a daze. Nobody really spoke after it.

“The bus is a write-off. Another bus came and we got that. I just felt it. I heard an almighty crash.

“The glass came shattered right in. There was a three-year-old baby sitting in the front seat.

“My back is sore, my shoulder’s sore today, my neck was in pain right away.”

Another passenger on board at the time of the collision with his wife said: “We both felt it, we weren’t looking out the window as it happened.

“We weren’t aware of what hit it until we looked back. I was at the window, she [wife] was sitting chatting to me. The next thing we knew a big mighty bang. Glass made its way on board. There was an elderly lady who cut her hand but I think she did that when she was getting off the bus.

“From what I could tell, the most people had were whiplash injuries. The damage to the bus was quite significant.

“At the time I felt fine but I started to feel a wee bit stiff . My wife, she’s been to the doctor. She’s been diagnosed as having whiplash. I’ve got some pain in my arm and my neck today. “

A spokesperson for Stagecoach West Scotland said: “One of our vehicles was involved in an incident on Jacks Road, Saltcoats on service 18. There were no reported injuries to passengers or driver on board and passengers were transferred onto a replacement bus to continue their journey. Safety is our priority and we will be carrying out our own investigation into the circumstances of this incident.”

Police said: “About 2.45pm on Wednesday, August 28, police were made aware of a road traffic collision between a Stagecoach bus and a mini-digger near to St. Matthews Academy on Jacks Road, Saltcoats.

“Roads Policing attended and on arrival bus passengers had already been transferred to another service bus, there were no reported injuries.There have been no arrests.”