A SCHOOLGIRL has told how she thought she was going to die when a bus drove over her in front of a crowd of shocked passengers.

Tanika McCook, 13, was left lying in agony in the street after being run over by the 179 bus outside The Castle pub in Woodford Green High Road, next to a bus stop used daily by hundreds of children.

The youngster, who was on her way home from Davenant Foundation School at the time, said she got her foot stuck when the door of the bus slammed shut on her.

The bus drove off despite her brother Keira's desperate calls for it to stop.

She was dragged along the road by the bus, and pulled herself free only for the vehicle to drive away again - crushing her foot underneath its front wheel.

She said: "I thought I was going to die. I was really scared when the bus dragged me along with my foot in the door.

"When he stopped I pulled it out, but then he just ran over my foot. I was in so much pain."

Tanika who has been unable to attend school since the accident at around 4.30pm on Monday, December 7 - was taken by ambulance to Whipps Cross University Hospital for treatment, where doctors discovered she had escaped with just ligament damage.

Her mother Barbara, of Hollywood Road, Chingford, told the Guardian how she confronted the driver after arriving at the scene.

She said: "When I got there Tanika was just sitting at the bus stop shaking and crying. She told me 'I thought I was going to die.' I was so upset and angry.

"I waited for the bus to come back around and spoke to the driver. I waited in front of his bus until the police arrived.

"He just drove off to do his route after running her over. I couldn't believe it."

Police were called to the scene but made no arrests and Tanika's dad Aston said his family were now considering taking legal action against bus company First, which operates the 179 route.

A spokesman for First said: "A route 179 bus was involved in a serious incident with a customer at about 4.30pm on December 7th in Woodford Green.

"As a result of this, the customer was taken to hospital and subsequently released after treatment.

"Route 179 is operated from First's Dagenham depot."

Adrian Jones, Managing Director for First's London and Berkshire bus companies said: "A full investigation into the incident is underway and we are not in a position to make any comment on the accident circumstances until this investigation is complete."