A SCHOOLGIRL with head injuries was air-lifted to hospital after being hit by a double-decker bus.

The ten-year-old, who is believed to be a pupil at nearby Hereward School, was rushed to a specialist unit after the accident in Chester Road, Loughton, at 3.45pm on Thursday.

Paramedic Steve Dennehy was on board the air ambulance, which landed in a school playing field.

He said: "The girl had suffered some head injuries and she was stabilised before being put on the helicopter."

A spokeswomman for the Ambulance Service said: "From a clinical point of view, the ambulance crews and police worked really well together on this, and it meant the helicopter could leave the scene rapidly and fly into Queen's Hospital, Romford, which is a specialist in dealing with head injuries."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident to contact them.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact PC Pete Sharp of Chigwell Road Policing Unit on 01279 621804.

The girl's family, who Police believe were close to the scene at the time, have been informed.