A MUM was airlifted to hospital with head injuries after being in collision with a bus.

The 34-year-old was on her lunch break and was collecting a sandwich from Sainsbury's supermarket when the accident happened shortly before 1pm on Thursday.

The woman, who works at Wincanton Logistics on the nearby Methuen Park Industrial Estate, was crossing the A4 when she was hit by a small Mercedes Faresaver bus.

Paramedics were called to the scene and the woman was conscious and breathing when they arrived.

The road between Sainsbury's and McDonald's was closed while the pedestrian, who lives in Bradford on Avon, was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol with head injuries.

A colleague of the woman, who did not wish to be named, said a group of workmates were hoping to visit their friend in hospital. She said: "I couldn't believe it when I heard someone had been hit by a bus and then I found out it was someone from here.

"Paramedics were treating her for broken bones but we've been told she's stable."

Eyewitness Angela Saunders, who works for Fleet Support Group, arrived at the scene shortly after the accident.

She said: "I had just popped to Sainsbury's for a sandwich and saw a woman being led into an ambulance.

She had been hit by a bus near the traffic lights. She was there for about 15 minutes but was conscious. Then she was rushed off."

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said the woman was taken to Chippenham hospital by ambulance where she was helped into the air ambulance and taken to the specialist head-injury unit at Frenchay.

He said her condition was not life-threatening.

Ms Saunders, 43, added: "The police kept the traffic moving, diverting it through Cepen Park.

"The driver looked like he was being questioned by police in a police car. You don't expect to see that sort of thing in your lunch break.

"It is quite worrying though because people drive so fast along that road even though there's traffic lights and a round about."

Justin Pickford, General Manager of Fairsaver buses said: "There is no suggestion that the bus itself was in any way at fault. Our vehicle was examined at the scene and it was found to be road worthy."

Mr Pickford said an internal investigation was carried out and the driver of the vehicle is no longer employed with them.