London bus roof ripped off after colliding with tree near Russell Square in Bloomsbury

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A London tourist bus has collided with a tree as it was going through Bloomsbury this afternoon, slicing its entire roof off. 
 
Emergency services including the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade are on the scene near Russell Square/Woburn Place, north London. 
 
Four people have been taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service, with a further 40 who are thought to have escaped without injury being looked after by police and ambulance staff in a nearby building. 
 
Around 15 firefighters, two fire engines and a fire rescue unit from Euston and Islington fire stations attended the incident.
 
Pictures posted on social media platforms showed the extent of the damage. 
 
https://twitter.com/LondonFire/status/628183273647251456
 
https://twitter.com/chromanris/status/628183740724977666
 
https://twitter.com/SmithChristian4/status/628185227421196288
 
https://twitter.com/Phil_Ced/status/628182642555514880
 
The incident is causing chaos on the roads nearby, with buses on routes 59, 68, 91, 168 and 188 now being diverted as a result. 
 
This is not the first time a bus has had its roof knocked off by a tree. In February two people were hospitalised after a similar incident in nearby Holborn.
 
More to follow…