Passengers had a lucky escape after a bus burst into flames yesterday morning.

Fire fighters were called to the scene in Woodridden Hill, Waltham Abbey at just after 11am following reports of a large vehicle alight.

Crews tackled the blaze on the Road Runner 255 bus, which was in service at the time.

All passengers and the driver had evacuated from the vehicle when the two crews, one from Walthan Abbey and one from Loughton, arrived.

Wearing breathing apparatus, the fire fighters used one hose reel to tackle the fire which was extinguished by 11.30am.

The bus was destroyed and there were severe delays on the route for two hours.

The fire was branded as accidental after it was found to have started in the engine compartment and spread to engulf the bus.

Sub Officer Bernie Manning, incident commander, said: "The bus was well alight.

"When we got there it was 80 per cent on fire.

"The roof was destroyed and the back six rows of the bus went completely.

"The crews did an excellent job extinguishing this fire as quickly as they did."