A BUS between began filling up with water after driving through a flood-hit road.

First's X54 Poole to Weymouth service encountered problems in the Lulworth area when water began coming through the closed door of the bus.

Water was then "sloshing" around the bottom floor of the bus as it continued its route towards Weymouth.

The driver managed to get rid of the water by opening the doors when going down a hill towards Weymouth.

One passenger said the driver "should be given a medal"

The passenger said: "The water came in through the doors.

"To me at 74 it was a great adventure - but then I was on a safari in Africa last October.

"When we came down the hill going into Preston the driver opened the doors and the water went.

"When I got off by Lodmoor the floor was dry and the rain had stopped.

"If I hadn’t got photos and videos, it would have seemed like a dream!

"The driver deserves a medal for keeping his passengers safe."

Passenger Paul Webb, 73, from Weymouth, said: "We had gone to Poole for a couple of hours.

"Coming back it was raining, as the journey went on the rain got heavier and heavier.

"It was hammering it down on the window, we were sat upstairs.

"Towards Lulworth and the villages near Durdle Door there was about two feet of water in some places and there were a few cars which were stuck along the way.

Bournemouth Echo: Roads flooded on the way to WeymouthRoads flooded on the way to Weymouth (Image: Paul Webb)

"At one point there was a BMW stuck in the middle of the road, the bus managed to squeeze past it.

"I could hear the water sloshing around downstairs, as the bus went uphill the water moved backwards and as it went downhill it all sloshed over to the front.

Bournemouth Echo: Paul saw water sloshing around the bottom of the busPaul saw water sloshing around the bottom of the bus (Image: Paul Webb)

"The driver stopped on a downward-facing slope and let a load of it out.

"The people downstairs had to lift their feet as the bus went uphill to avoid the water.

"Real credit to the bus driver, he did a brilliant job. 

"It was a real adventure and we all made it back to Weymouth."

Peter McNaughton, Operations Manager at First Wessex, said: “Thursday's storm unfortunately caused lots of disruption.

"We’re very proud of how all our staff handled such hazardous conditions.

"Thanks to our driver’s quick thinking, he opened the bus doors to let out flood water, ensuring the bus could continue safely.”

The driver of the X54 added: “It’s good to know passengers were happy and I got them home safely.”