BUS passengers were thrown to the ground when their driver slammed on his brakes, narrowly missing a 13-year-old boy.

Driver Keith Fielding was forced to make an emergency stop when the boy ran out in front of the double-decker bus he was driving along Queensway, Petts Wood.

Two ambulances and three police cars arrived within minutes of the accident and took two injured passengers to Farnborough Hospital for emergency treatment.

One victim had an arm injury and George Seal, 79, of Fairmead, Bickley, had a gash on his head, was nauseous and had breathing difficulty.

Maraine Seal, 80, who was on the bus with her husband, said: "We don't usually go by bus but it was such a nice day we decided to go shopping. My husband fell forward so hard his glasses came off and slid all the way to the front of the bus."

The bus, going along the 208 route from Catford to Orpington, was carrying around 30 passengers when the incident happened at 12.45pm on April 17.

Mr Fielding, who had just started his shift, told News Shopper: "He just ran out in front of me and I missed him by inches. I feel like jelly at that moment. I nearly killed someone."

The child and his mother, who were shopping in Safeway, were questioned by police.

April 29, 2003 13:00