A COURAGEOUS young Runcorn schoolboy has been hailed a hero for rescuing his brother and sister after their car was involved in a collision with a bus.

Both vehicles were left lodged in a bush in Norton Lane.

Calmly, Ethan Watkins helped his three-year-old sister, Isobel, and little brother Daniel to scramble out of the smashed rear window of their vehicle.

His dad, Gaz, from Sandymoor, suffered head injuries, but, although he was dazed, managed to escape from the crushed car.

Daniel was flown to Alder Hey Hospital in an air ambulance where he was treated for a fractured hip.

Ethan and Isobel suffered glass cuts and bruises. The children are now recovering at home with their parents, Nicky and Gaz.

The bus driver had a shoulder injury. There were no passengers on the bus.

A fleet of four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and four hazard response vehicles dealt with the incident. The casualties were taken to Warrington and Whiston hospitals.

Fire officer in charge of the incident, Tony Perischine, red watch manager at Runcorn Fire Station, said: “Ethan stayed calm and told firefighters he helped the other children out of the rear window. He acted in a very responsible way. All three children were sat on the ground when we got there and the driver was stood at the side of the road. He had a head injury and was a bit confused.

“It could have been a lot more serious.

“They were very fortunate to get out of the vehicle.”

The incident happened shortly after 8am on Tuesday, January 28.

The police are investigating the cause of the accident.