Five people were left with severe whiplash following a collision between a bus and four cars in the North-East last year. The victims were all taken to hospital after the Go North East bus hit the rear of a van, causing it to shunt into the back of a BMW.

The bus also swerved and hit an oncoming Volkswagen Golf, which careered into a Citroen Saxo, at traffic lights on Front Street in South Hetton, County Durham. Passengers on the bus struggled to escape through the back emergency exit, two of which were wounded.

The victims of whiplash were sent to the University Hospital of North Durham for treatment, while Front Street remained closed for over an hour.