Two people have been taken to hospital as a "priority" and ten people were injured after a double-decker bus crashed into a shop in Lavender Hill, Battersea this morning.

London Fire Brigade (LFB), who remain on the scene to "stabilise the shop building", rescued two women who were trapped in the bus for more than two hours after the crash, which happened at about 6.50am. 

A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service (LAS) said: "We treated a total of ten patients at the scene.

"Two of these patients, both in a stable condition, were taken as a priority to hospital.

"One patient with minor injuries was also taken to hospital for further treatment.”

LFB said the women were conscious and breathing the whole time they were trapped. 

A spokesperson said: "Crews used an aerial ladder platform to bring two passengers who had been trapped on the upper deck of the bus to safety."

The driver of the bus, which crashed into Poggenpohl Kitchen Design Centre, has been taken to a south London hospital.

Kazim Dô'leker, 49, from Café Parisienne, said: "I was here at 6am there was a delivery I had to do, I done the delivery and I heard a 'bang bang bang'.

"And I heard and saw the bus go into the kitchen appliance store and I called 999 straight away for 10 minutes. Fire and police department came very quick.

"There was six people up the top and they were all helping each other.

"They acted quick yet it took a while to get everyone out, from the top window about an hour. Everyone done their best."

A builder, who was working on a site opposite Lavender Hill Police Station, said: "We heard a massive explosion and we ran down and we saw a woman trapped at top front of the window, but we didn't want to see it as it wasn't nice.

"Loads of people ran out to try and help, there was nothing we could do it was horrible."

Marco Ferreiri, from the Social Pantry Cafe, said: "When I saw it there was still no police, I was there about ten to seven.

"There was loads of smoke. Me and my college were just walking and there was loads of smoke and we couldn't see anything.

"We didn't know what had happened, we thought it was a terrorist attack.

"There was loads of people on the streets taking pictures and videos.

"Customers have been talking about it all morning."

Tony Akers, TfL's Head of Bus Operations, said: "Emergency services and our staff remain on the scene and a full investigation is already underway."

Local road closures were in place this morning but Lavender Hill has since opened and bus services have resumed. 

Police, London Ambulance Service, two fire engines and three fire rescue units attended.

London Air Ambulance Advance Trauma team also attended, but have left the area. 

The LAS sent five ambulance crews, two paramedics in cars and an incident response officer to the scene, alongside our hazardous area response team.

The first medics arrived on the scene within six minutes.

London's Air Ambulance was also dispatched.

The crash occurred at about 6.50am this morning, August 10.

Traffic has been brought to a standstill.

Our reporter at the scene said the crane, which was being used to lift people out of the bus, was taken away at about 9am. 

Desmond Mahon, of McDermott Close, told her: “I looked from a few different angles with my binoculars and you can see a bicycle that’s been damaged.

“It looks as if the bus might have tried to avoid a cyclist and crashed into the shop.”

Wandsworth Times:

Jessica Beard, 22, who lives nearby, said: "There's just a sea of blue lights. I think I just heard a woman scream.

"It's awful. It looks like the bus must have been going quite fast.

"It looked like they were still trying to get people off when I walked by. I just hope no one is badly hurt."

Battersea Arts Centre has offered anyone affected by the crash free tea and coffee. 

Emergency services said the bus could be removed in two hours.