TWO buses were stolen from a Runcorn depot in Beechwood last night.

One of the vehicles, a single decker number 79c, was later found abandoned in Murdishaw.

It appears to have crashed.

Heather Nicholls, 32, of Mooring Close, was woken up at around 9.50pm and was startled to discover a bus outside her home.

She said: “I noticed all the lights and sirens and the helicopter at the back of my house.

“I went out the back gate and there was a bus parked there on Gorsewood Road and loads of police.

“There didn’t appear to be much front end damage but I couldn’t see the back of the bus.”

A spokesman for Arriva said: “I can confirm that two buses were stolen from our Runcorn depot and there is now an ongoing police investigation.”

Police say officers were called to reports of a bus being stolen between 9pm last night and 12.45am this morning on Beechwood Avenue.

A police spokesman said: “The bus was located on Murdishaw Lane and with the help of air support to trace the offender, officers arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.

“He is currently in custody.”