Man, 33, arrested after crash between double-deck school bus and tractor on a country road

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A man has been arrested after 12 children were rushed to hospital following a serious crash between a tractor and a school bus on a narrow country road.

A youngster, who has not been named, had been airlifted to King's College Hospital in London by air ambulance and remains in a 'serious but stable condition' after the crash in Meopham. 

While the bus driver and 12 children were taken to hospital, four more people were treated by paramedics at the scene following the incident on the A227 South Street  near Gravesend, Kent, on Wednesday afternoon.

A youngster, who has not been named, had been airlifted to King's College Hospital in London by air ambulance and remains in a 'serious but stable condition'.

A 33-year-old man from East Sussex was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He has been bailed pending further investigation.

It is believed the tractor involved had it's bucket lifted up in the air at the time of the collision around 3.25pm.

Photos posted on social media show the top floor of the bus was ripped apart in the collision

A tractor with its scoop raised, which is believed to have been involved in the collision, was seen close to the site of the crash

Pictures seen on social media showed the left side of the top deck of the bus ripped open.

Kent Police are asking anyone who saw the incident to get in touch with their Serious Collision Investigation Unit.

This includes anyone who may have captured footage on their phones and motorists with potential evidence on dashcams.

A Kent Police spokesperson said: 'The bus driver and 12 children were taken to hospital. One child remains in a London hospital in a serious but stable condition.

'Of the casualties taken for medical attention at local hospitals, three continue to be treated for injuries described as serious.'

The road was closed at the location on the A227 South Street near Culverstone Green after the collision.

The spokesperson said: 'The collision is being investigated by Kent Police's Serious Collision Unit (SCIU) and officers are appealing to any witnesses to contact them.'

Here is a look at where the crash occured on the A227 South Street in Meopham near Gravesend, Kent, on Wednesday afternoon

Here is another look at the school bus following the collision on Wednesday afternoon