A SCHOOL bus had to be evacuated on York ring road during the morning rush hour after a fire broke out in its engine compartment.

The vehicle was taking pupils to Manor School from villages west of York, when the fire started yesterday morning shortly before 8.30am. The incident happened on the A1237 near Knapton.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue crews from Acomb went to the incident but found that the pupils had got out safely. A spokesman said the bus’s engine had overheated.

The coach’s operators, York Pullman Bus Company, praised the swift actions of the driver.

A spokesman said: “We are very pleased with the actions of the driver. He got the pupils away and kept them away until the fire brigade sorted it out.”

The pupils were later transferred safely to another coach and taken to school.

Nobody was available for comment at Manor School.