Crowd lifts double-decker bus to free trapped unicyclist
London saw an astonishing display of community spirit on Thursday evening (May 28).
A 55-year-old unicyclist was hit by double-decker bus in Walthamstow in the east of London and was trapped under its wheels.
About 100 onlookers were panicked as they saw the crash.
Yet almost immediately they ran towards the scene as they made a united effort to free the stricken unicyclist from beneath one of its front wheels.
They then tried to lift the bus, which weighs about 12,000 kg, successfully moving it a short distance away, saving the man's life.
The spirited act was filmed by a number of people and uploaded online.
In the videos, people can be heard screaming and shouting while trying to coordinate the desperate rescue effort.
Kyra Sam was there when the onlookers rushed to help the man's life.
She told the Evening Standard: "I'm really amazed at the strength of Walthamstow - no one hesitated to push the bus off. I was in shock.
"Everyone really came together to help - it was really nice to see that in the face of something so awful."
The owner of the nearby Directors Cut cafe said: "All of a sudden we saw people leaving their chairs at Turtle Bay and Pizza Express and running towards the road. We saw people actually coming out of the bus as well. Everybody was shouting and screaming."
Police said that there were no arrests made.
They added: "Police were called at 5.50pm to a bus in collision with a unicyclist in Hoe Street, E17.
"The male unicyclist was taken by ambulance to an east London hospital where his condition is believed to be serious," said authorities.
Source: YouTube, The Evening Standard
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