A man died and three others needed hospital treatment after a head-on collision involving a double-decker bus from Swindon and a lorry.

The accident happened at 11.30pm on Saturday on the A3102 between Calne and Lyneham at Snow Hill.

The lorry jack-knifed and the bus came off the road.

Although the exact details are not yet known, police say the lorry, which was on its way to RAF Lyneham to deliver an aircraft engine, may have been on the wrong side of the road when it collided with the 55A Swindon to Chippenham Stagecoach bus, travelling in the opposite direction.

The bus had come from Lyneham and was heading for Calne.

PC Richard Hatch of Corsham traffic police said: "It would appear the lorry had crossed on to the right hand side of the road when it was hit by the double-decker bus.

"Full credit to the driver of the bus. He tried to swerve to his right but it was too late.

"The lorry was a left-hand drive vehicle, which was sadly the same side of impact."

The lorry is registered in Portugal. The driver, Portuguese Amandio Da-Silva Cordeiro, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His wife Maria Deo Linda Cordeiro, 44, who was a passenger, suffered cuts and bruises.

The 52-year-old bus driver, Kenneth Hallett, from Chippen-ham, also escaped with minor injuries, as did his only passenger 18-year-old Alexandra Mathews from Calne.

All three were taken to Great Western Hospital and later discharged.

The road, which was completely blocked by the jack-knifed lorry, was sealed off until midday yesterday, while police salvaged the vehicles and conducted their inquiries.

Sholto Thomas, Stagecoach West's operations director, declined to comment on the possible cause of the accident.

But he extended his condolences to the family of the dead man.

He said: "Obviously it comes as a relief that our driver and the passenger are both uninjured except for a few bruises.

"Our sympathies go out to the deceased family."

Witnesses should call 01380 722341.

Kevin Shoesmith