A double-decker bus crashed into a shop front in Dudley Town Centre in the early hours of this morning.

The vehicle struck Sophie's chip shop in Castle Street just before 6am, rupturing a gas main and injuring four people.

Emergency services attended the scene along with gas safety crews. The crash closed the road - a main route from the bus station - with other buses being rerouted around the town centre. A spokesperson from West Midlands Fire Service said:

"Just before 6am this morning we received multiple 999 calls after a double decker bus was in collision with a two-storey building in Castle Street, Dudley.

"Four fire engines responded, including a crew from our Technical Rescue Unit to help stabilise the scene. A gas main was ruptured, but this has since been capped by a gas engineer.

"Crews worked safely and effectively to evacuate the bus. Three passengers were treated by our firefighters and West Midlands Ambulance Service for what are believed to have been minor injuries.

"Nine people have been evacuated from the risk area as a precaution. Our Technical Rescue Unit is currently working to assess the stability of the building. Access to Castle Street and Fisher Street is restricted whilst our work at the scene continues."

A West Midlands Ambulance spokesman added: "We were called at 6.23am to reports of a double decker bus that had collided with a building on Castle Street, Dudley. An ambulance, two paramedic officers and the Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene.

"On arrival, we assessed four patients, two women and two men. All four had sustained injuries considered to be minor, they were all given self care advice and discharged on scene.”

National Express and Transport for West Midlands have advised passengers to use alternative bus stops due to the diversions.