A BUS ploughed into a seafront restaurant last night after the driver suffered a suspected heart attack.

Witnesses saw the bus smashing into the side of Leoz on Bridlington Promenade after the driver took ill behind the wheel.

Restaurant owner Hayear Coch was in Leoz serving a customer when the crash happened at about 5.30pm.

Mr Coch, known to customers and friends as Leo, said: "I heard a big bang and everything moved – all the tables and the counter were shaking.

"I thought at first it was a gas explosion.

"Lots of cracks appeared in the wall so I ran outside.

"I couldn't believe it was a bus. It was very frightening."

The East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) 512 bus to Bempton Lane was not carrying passengers at the time of the crash.

It is thought to have been heading out of the nearby bus station when it veered off the road and across a pavement into the wall.

No pedestrians were caught up in the accident although the driver, thought to be in his late 50s or early 60s, suffered a suspected heart attack.

First on the scene was neighbouring restaurant owner Jalal Hossain, who runs Masala Indian across the road from Leoz.

He said: "I was just opposite Leoz, heading out to deliver a takeaway, when I saw the bus heading straight towards the restaurant.

"I saw it slam into the building and bricks flew off the wall.

"It made a really loud bang. I ran across the road to the bus and called 999.

"I think the driver must have collapsed or blacked out or something.

"If the bus had been coming from the other side of the road, it could have hit me.

"It was very scary."

Paramedics and police raced to the scene of the crash when the alarm was raised.

Two fire engines from Bridlington were also called out.

The road had to be closed off while the emergency services ensured the wall was stable and took the driver, who also injured his leg in the crash, to hospital.

EYMS chairman and chief executive Peter Shipp spoke of his relief that no one else was injured in the crash.

He said: "There were no passengers on the bus and no pedestrians or anyone inside the restaurant was injured.

"We believe the driver had a heart attack and suffered a leg injury in the smash and was taken to Scarborough Hospital.

"We are very sorry to hear about the driver, if it was indeed a heart attack.

"This was a very unexpected event and we hope the driver makes a full recovery.

"We're pleased no one else was injured."

He said an investigation into the cause of the accident had been launched.

Recovery work is expected to continue this morning with the restaurant remaining closed until an assessment on the wall is carried out.

UpdateLeoz restaurant reopens after bus crash