THREE children were injured after a school bus skidded off the road and into a ditch near Swindon.

A double decker bus carrying 50 Bradon Forest School pupils ended up on its side just outside Greatfield near the Lydiard Millicent crossroads.

The accident, which happened just before 4pm yesterday left three children with minor injuries one had to be taken to the Great Western Hospital for treatment.

Police blocked off part of the Wootton Basset to Purton road while the wreckage was cleared.

A convoy of other buses took the uninjured children home.

Sergeant Chris Moore, of Swindon Police, said: "Fortunately, there were only minor injuries it could have been far worse. It doesn't bear thinking about."

Angela Hindle, 43, of Middleleaze, who witnessed the aftermath of the smash, said: "It must have been very scary for the schoolchildren. Accidents happen I'm just pleased that nobody was seriously hurt."

A spokesman for Thamesdown Transport, which owns the bus, said there would be a thorough investigation.

"Nobody really knows what happened at the moment," he said.

"There will be an investigation and any action taken will be based on the conclusions."

Villagers living in the area are now calling for some school runs to be banned from using the narrow roads.

Mollie Groom, a parish, district and county councillor for the Lydiard Millicent area, said it was an accident waiting to happen.

"I'm not surprised this has happened but thank goodness nobody was injured," she said.

"We have 20 buses coming through the village during the mornings and afternoons.

"There is no need for most of the schoolchildren from west Swindon to come through here- the buses should be using the HGV routes."

Coun Groom fears problems will spiral when Bradon Forest School expands. She believes it will mean more buses on the roads.

"I have lobbied the council's chief education officer and transport manager of this our roads will just not be able to cope," she said.

Tom Pepperall, chairman of Lydiard Millicent Parish Council, said the roads in the area could be dangerous.

"There are traffic calming measures but there have been problems when motorists don't travel at the speed they ought to," he said.

Bradon Forest School was unavailable for comment.

Anyone with information about the crash can phone Swindon Police 01793 528111.

Ben Payne