FOUR passengers were injured when a bus smashed through railings.

The single-decker 540 service, owned by Stagecoach, was travelling eastbound along Wigan Road, Deane, when it careened off the carriageway just before the Junction Road junction.

It mounted the pavement close to the former RBS branch and crunched through railings and came to a stop.

The crash happened at 5.10pm on Sunday (Feb 14) and one of the passengers told The Bolton News the driver appeared to pass out at the wheel.

Four out of 12 passengers suffered minor injuries, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said.

North West Ambulance Service said none of the passengers suffered any serious injury and one was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital with unspecified injuries.

The driver was breathalysed at the scene by police and gave a zero alcohol reading.

The crash is not being treated as a criminal offence and the police's involvement has ended.

Officers left Stagecoach to recover the bus from the scene and Bolton Council to repair the broken railings.

A spokeswoman for Stagecoach said: "One of our vehicles was involved in an incident on Deane Road, Bolton, at around 5.10pm on Sunday February 14.

"Our first thoughts are for the welfare of those involved in the incident.

"We understand none of the passengers on board were seriously injured.

"Safety is our absolute priority and we will be carrying out an investigation into the circumstances of the incident."

The spokeswoman could not confirm if its driver had passed out at the wheel.