At least one person has died and 22 people are injured following a bus crash on the Isle of Wight.

A major incident has been declared and police, fire, ambulance and air ambulance services are responding to the incident.

Four of the injured people were airlifted to mainland hospitals after the crash, which involved two cars and a double-decker bus.

Air ambulances have been brought in from nearby counties to help transfer the injured to hospital.

Firefighters are extricating injured people who have been trapped inside the vehicles.

St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight has brought in extra staff to handle the surge in patients being brought into accident and emergency.

Witness Alisha Smith, 23, told County Press newspaper that the bus collided with a Mini which pulled into the road.

“We were driving down the road and a Mini pulled out from a side road,” she said. “The driver did his best to avoid it, but we hit and then bounced on to hit another car following in a different direction.

“The next thing I know, I was on the floor and got up to see if everyone was okay. A few hurt and covered in blood, but no one severely injured at the top.”

Hampshire Police confirmed that a woman in her 60s who was travelling in a red Fiat Bravo died in the crash, and three other people who were in the car have been taken to hospital.

They added that the bus driver, in his 50s, also sustained a serious injury, while the ten passengers in the bus were taken to hospital as a precaution – as were the four people in the Mini.

The general manager for the island’s bus service Southern Vectis, Richard Tyldsley, said: “We are aware of a serious collision involving one of our route seven buses.

“At this stage the full circumstances and details of any injuries are unclear and we are investigating.”

In a statement, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust said: “A major incident was declared at 1.51pm today after a serious road traffic incident took place on Forest Road, Newport, involving two cars and a bus.

“The Isle of Wight NHS Trust can confirm that four people have been airlifted to mainland hospitals and currently 15 patients have been brought into St Mary’s Hospital.”

People on the island are being asked not to attend St Mary’s Hospital in Newport “unless absolutely necessary”.

Justin Harden, the group commander for the island’s fire and rescue service, confirmed that one person had died in the incident.

“My thoughts are with the deceased’s family, on behalf of everybody here,” he said

“It had been a significant incident, the like of which we have not seen for some time.”

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