A SCHOOL bus was badly damaged by fire.

Luckily the blaze happened when the double-decker was empty and on its way to pick up children from Honley High School - not taking them home.

Bus company First Huddersfield is now carrying out a thorough investigation into what caused the fire, which started in the engine.

The bus was being driven on Station Road in Honley when the driver noticed smoke coming from the back at 3.10pm yesterday.

He pulled over and called the fire service.

Sub-officer John Scott, of Huddersfield fire station, said: "The fire started at the back of the bus in the engine compartment and then spread upwards and engulfed about half of the top floor.

"The driver had seen smoke pouring from a vent. We had to send firefighters on to the bus wearing breathing apparatus."

First Huddersfield's commercial director Graham Riley said: "It was very fortunate the bus was on its way to the school and had not already picked the pupils up.

"We will now examine the bus to find the cause of the fire.

"If lessons are to be learned from this, we will learn them.

"Fires on buses are extremely rare. I can't think of the last time we had one."