Police and ambulance service issue statements after bus crashes into bubble tea cafe in Piccadilly Gardens

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Paramedics are treating a 'number of casualties' after a bus crashed into a bubble tea shop in Piccadilly Gardens. Emergency services were called to the scene in Manchester city centre at 1.15pm on Monday after a Diamond bus ploughed into the front of the T4 cafe at the foot of City Tower.

Eye witnesses have described seeing the injured being taken away in stretchers. A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service said at this stage he was not able to give an exact number of people who have been taken to hospital, but said 'a number of casualties' were being treated.

Police have closed roads in the immediate area and are advising the public to stay away. A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service said: "We have responded to an incident reported as a bus colliding with a building. READ MORE: Piccadilly Gardens bus crash: Everything we know so far as ambulance service and police issue statement READ MORE: BREAKING: Bus crashes into building in Piccadilly Gardens with major emergency service response - updates "The 999 call was received at 1.13pm.

We have four ambulances, two senior paramedics, a cycle responder, an operations manager and the Hazardous Area Response Team on the scene. "There are a number of casualties, but I'm not able to give the details on how many have been taken to hospital at this stage." A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "At around 1pm today police were called to reports of a collision involving a bus and a shop in Piccadilly Gardens.