Driver of bus that crashed into River Itchen branded 'hero'

James West, who lives on Guest Road, saw the double-decker Bluestar bus "rip" through railings as it crashed into the river.

"It sounded like a bomb, that’s the best description," he told the Echo.

"It sounded like something exploded. Bits of the bus ended up in our garden."

READ MORE: 17 injured as bus crashes into river near Eastleigh - live

James said that the driver told his wife that the "accelerator had jammed", and that he could not slow the bus down before it went into the river.

"I think he was a bit of a hero in all honesty, because he could’ve taken out cars, houses. He could've taken out pedestrians.

"It sounds like he’s had to do the best he can to try and minimise. If you suddenly slam the anchors on, would it tip over?"

After seeing the bus go into the ditch, James and his wife went down to their garden and helped people get out, as they have steps access down to the river.

He described the passengers as "all kids", "all in shock".

"We could hear a lot of distressed people on the bus," he told the Echo.

READ MORE: Driver among the 17 injured as bus crashes into river

READ MORE: Nearly 20 injured including children as bus crashes into Itchen

"My wife went down the back of the garden and helped people get out. She co-ordinated her way through the river ,we set up a load of chairs and another neighbour brought loads of drinks round."

James said he wanted to tell the driver's story after seeing conflicting rumours spreading quickly on social media.

He said: "People are going, based on nothing, 'oh he must’ve been drunk or fell asleep at the wheel'.

"My wife literally spoke to the driver, who looked like he had his legs trapped by the impact.

"He said that his accelerator jammed and there was nothing he could do. That’s a statement from the actual driver, that needs to be out there, I don’t know the context of it but that is literally what he said to my wife."