A schoolboy has suffered a head injury after falling from the top of a double decker bus in this week. The incident is understood to have happened as pupils ran up and down the vehicle, amid "dangerous behaviour".
The youngster, who attends St Benedict Catholic Academy, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries but has since been discharged. The school's headteacher Hazel Boyce has since been forced to write a letter to parents after reports of out of control pupils exhibiting "dangerous" behaviour on their way to and from class. Ms Boyce told : "We are aware of an incident on a school bus on Monday. The pupil involved was taken to hospital, treated and has now been discharged."
In a statement, she added: "I write to you following a significant incident on one of our school buses because of dangerous behaviour displayed by some pupils. Recent dangerous behaviour on a school bus resulted in one pupil sustaining significant injuries following a fall from the top deck of the bus.
"This came about after many pupils were out of their seats, running up and down the aisle of the bus and jumping on one another. This led to a window on the top deck of the bus being pushed out of the moving bus and a pupil falling out of that window and onto the main road.
"All pupils who attend St Benedict can use the school bus to travel to and from school, including use of the free, late bus. However, we expect those who make use of this service to conduct themselves in a safe, respectable and courteous way.
"Other incidents of poor behaviour have been reported to us recently and include shouting, running about the bus and up and down the stairs, fighting and intimidation, as well as reports of vaping and use of foul language. These concerns are reported by parents, drivers, members of the public and pupils.
"Notts and Derby who run the school bus service will now be reviewing CCTV footage after every journey and reporting incidents of poor behaviour to us daily."
Notts and Derby Buses manager Stuart Frost said: "We are aware there has been an investigation carried out by the school. We reported ourselves to Vosa (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) and our bus has been cleared of any defects.
"We have also brought in an independent engineer to examine and report back to us if there are any defects that could have led to the window falling out, and the report says there are no faults with the bus or its windows."
Derbyshire police added in a statement: "Officers were called to reports a boy had gone through the top window of a double-decker bus in Osmaston Road, Derby, on Monday, April 28, at 3.30pm. The boy reportedly sustained a head injury and was taken to hospital."