Boy, 2, crushed to death by bus

A two-year-old boy was crushed to death in front of his mother today after a double-decker bus mounted the pavement and struck him.

Hundreds of shoppers saw the bus plough through safety railings in Collyer Place at the junction with busy Peckham High Street before hitting the boy.

The child was knocked from his mother's arms and dragged under the front wheel of the number 36 bus. The driver was arrested nearby and police are investigating whether he was under the influence of drink or drugs. He was breathalysed at the scene.

The boy's mother, who is in her late 20s and heavily pregnant, suffered leg injuries. A bus passenger received minor injuries.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "This was an absolutely horrifying incident. The boy was on the pavement with his mother when he was hit. His mother is extremely distressed and is being comforted."

The boy was taken to King's College hospital at 10.30am but doctors pronounced him dead from multiple injuries at 11.24am.

Witness Zee Talbot, 36, who was in a benefits office near the scene of the crash, said: "There was blood everywhere and all I could see were people screaming. I rushed to help as I can do first aid but somebody was already trying to resuscitate the boy. The child was face down and had suffered the most appaling injuries.

"There were paramedics on the scene trying to save the boy but he had no chance of surviving.

"The bus looked like it was totally out of control and I understand it swerved to avoid a taxi turning into a street and then hit the railings."

Metropolitan Police family liaison officers are with the boy's mother, who will later be interviewed.

Scotland Yard has launched an investigation and the area was sealed off this morning. It is not clear how or why the bus veered off the road. Transport for London will be assisting the inquiry. A spokesman for bus company London Central, which operates the route from Lewisham to Queens Park station, said: "We are shocked by the incident and helping police with their inquiries."