A driver had to undergo six hours of surgery after being involved in a collision with a double decker bus.

The 51-year-old, of Colchester, was airlifted to Colchester General Hospital with serious injuries by the Essex Air Ambulance following the crash, which happened just before 11am yesterday (Tuesday) at the junction of Harwich Road and Spinnels Lane, on the B1352 near Wrabness.

His condition was today (Wednesday) described as stable but poorly.

The driver's Peugeot 406, which was travelling towards Harwich, was crushed in the collision.

The bus, travelling in the opposite direction, ended up embedded in the wall of a nearby property.

Both the bus driver, Lee Boutell, of Harwich, and the Peugeot driver, had to be cut free from their vehicles by fire crews. The four passengers on the 103 First Eastern National service, travelling from Harwich to Colchester, suffered minor injuries.

All were taken to Colchester Hospital.

The road was closed for several hours and diversions put in place.

Sub-officer Terry Jewell, of Dovercourt Fire Station, said crews from Manningtree and Colchester also attended the scene.

"The car was in quite a bad state. It took us a while to cut round the driver so they could take him in the air ambulance.

"The bus driver was trapped. We cut him out but he was reasonably OK."

He added the car driver was trapped for around an hour-and-a-half. The bus knocked a hole in the wall of a workshop belonging to Abbott Racing, based at Spinnels Farm.

Employee Giles Fairweather said: "I didn't see the accident, but there's a huge hole in the wall.

"The bus driver had his legs crushed, but the car driver was worse. The passengers were just in shock."

Police have appealed for witnesses to the crash, Anyone with information should contact the Stanway traffic unit on 01206 762512.

Police refused to release further details about the incident.

The scene of the spectacular collision

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