A COACH driver had a lucky escape after his vehicle ran over a roundabout yesterday after its brakes were thought to have failed.

The front of the coach was damaged after it uprooted a lamp-post and a large chevron road sign on the roundabout at the junction of Wrexham Road and A494 Ruthin Road, Mold.

It is believed the vehicle’s brakes failed as it came down the hill towards the roundabout. No passengers were on board the coach, owned by Napier Point of Liverpool, when it crashed shortly after noon, although the company confirmed a party of children had been dropped off in North Wales a short time earlier.

Taxi driver Marina Devall, 53, was travelling from the Wrexham direction when she saw the coach coming towards her. She said: “I could tell there was something wrong as I couldn’t see the driver. He did a very good job to control it. It was effectively on two wheels.”

Van driver Mike Hammersley, 56, was a short distance behind the coach when it began to lose control.

“I could tell there was something amiss,” he said. “You can see it has shattered the windscreen. I’m just glad he escaped serious injury.”

Ambulance, police and fire crews rushed to the scene and remained present for some time.

A spokesman for North Wales Ambulance Service said the driver was treated for arm and mouth injuries.

Napier Point said they would not be commenting on the incident until they had spoken to the driver and police.