SEVEN bus passengers were injured after a schoolgirl apparently stepped out in front of a bus in York.

The accident happened behind Badger Hill shops, in Yarburgh Way, off Hull Road, close to Archbishop Holgate's School just before 9am today.

The driver of the First York route ten bus travelling towards York is believed to have taken evasive action to avoid a girl who stepped out in the road. The girl escaped unscathed, but seven passengers were taken by ambulance to York Hospital.

Peter McCarthy, head of service delivery at First York, said: "As far as I know the girl is okay, but seven passengers have been hurt and there was a doctor on board helping people with their injuries.

"The driver was shocked, but unhurt. It sounded like a kid ran out in the middle of the road unexpectedly."

Bus passenger, Sue Doughty who got on the bus at Stamford Bridge, said: "A girl walked across the road. She couldn't see the bus because of traffic in the other lane. The bus driver slammed all brakes on to avoid her and kids that had been stood on the bus ready to get off fell forward. They were thrown to the floor piled two or three on top of each other.

"They were absolutely hysterical they could not get up because bags were piled on top of them. One man hit his head on the windscreen and the windscreen smashed."

Updated: 10:26 Monday, November 01, 2004