Update after coach catches fire on A417 near Cirencester

Firefighters tackled the vehicle blaze on the A417 earlier today near The Golden Heart Inn - off from the Air Balloon roundabout. 

There are currently huge delays between the Birdlip and Cowley Roundabout. 

Eyewitness Jo Welch, public relations professional from Cirencester, described the blaze as ‘shocking’. 

She was driving back to Cirencester from Cheltenham with David Reach of RCH100, when they drove past the incident and took these dramatic pictures. 

"It was such a shock,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before!”

"We didn’t know whether to stop or drive past through the black smoke.

"Queues of traffic both ways. I hope no one has been hurt!"

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue said: “We were called at 3.46pm to reports of a coach on fire on the A417 between the Air Balloon and Cowley roundabouts.

“Two fire engines, from Cirencester and Cheltenham East, attended the scene and used two hose reels and two breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire.

“The stop message was received at 4.38pm.”

Dramatic images of the coach fire on the A417 - photos by Jo Welch and David Reach from RCH100 (www.rch100.co.uk) (Image: Jo Welch and David Reach from RCH100 )