Four pupils remain in hospital following the Co. Down accident

Emergency services rushed to the scene on Ballyblack Road East near Carrowdore, Co Down, on Monday afternoon.

The bus reportedly overturned and ended up on its side in a field.

There were 43 pupils travelling from Strangford College to Bangor when the incident took place.

Mr Shannon told the BBC Good Morning Ulster it's a miracle that nobody was killed.

"It is a miracle, an absolute miracle that there wasn’t worse injuries or, worse, fatalities."

He said: "The photographs illustrate the issue. A high bank, the bus fell over the bank, fell on its side.

“If you are a person in a bus that is rolling or falling you are like a stone in a box, you just go with whatever direction it is going.

He said the pupils are "traumatised" following the accident.

Locals also rushed to help the children after many witnessed the accident.

Shannon also praised those who helped the children following the accident, including locals.

Shannon added: "A man who lives not more than a couple of hundred yards away, he noticed the bus going over and he ran over and, unknown to him, his daughter was on the bus."

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) declared a major incident after the accident on Monday evening.

A spokesperson confirmed 33 people were treated and discharged at the scene.

Four children were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, the NIAS confirmed.

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