School bus carrying dozens of children collides with truck and rolls west of Melbourne

Onlookers helped pull students to safety after a school bus carrying 45 children collided with a truck and rolled west of Melbourne yesterday afternoon.

The crash occurred while the children were heading home from Exford Primary School, near the intersection of Exford Road and Murphys Road at Eynesbury about 3.40pm.

Ten kids were taken to hospital with serious injuries, along with three children and an adult in stable conditions, according to Ambulance Victoria.

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Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Cruse described the damage to the bus as "significant".

"The scene was chaotic," he said.

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"We had parents of children arriving on the scene (along with) lots of emergency services.

"The bus has significant damage and is overturned."

Cruse said the bus was attempting to right onto Murphys Road when the truck collided with the rear of the bus.

He said a 49-year-old truck driver stopped at the scene and is assisting police.

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Nicole Kirk's daughter was onboard the bus at the time.

"We raced down here, there was tears and emotion, (my daughter) was frightened, she has scratches, blood on her hands.

"She was more concerned about her friends, she had her seatbelt on and she was fine.

"We are one of the lucky ones."

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Eynesbury is located about 44km from Melbourne, near Melton, and the crash occurred near Exford Primary School.

Aerial images from the 9News helicopter showed children being pulled from the overturned bus through its smashed windscreen.

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