A woman was in a critical condition after being in collision with a bus while crossing a road.

She suffered serious head injuries after colliding with the front of the bus in Beaconsfield Parade, near the junction of Springfield Road in Brighton at noon yesterday.

The front windscreen of the 5B Brighton and Hove Bus Company double-decker was smashed and crumpled after the impact.

Sergeant Lloyd Sinden, of Shoreham traffic division, said the pedestrian, who was in her late 20s, was crossing the road with another person towards London Road.

She had passed a pedestrian island in the middle of the road and was moving towards the pavement when the accident happened.

The injured woman was taken by ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Mr Sinden said: "The driver of the bus is very shaken-up and we have not yet spoken to him because of his state.

"We have witnesses who were on the bus and pedestrians and have not yet spoken to all of them.

"The woman is in hospital. She is in a critical condition."

Residents have said they felt they were taking their lives in their hands every time they tried to cross Beaconsfield Parade and Springfield Road.

Victoria Prevatt, who lives just yards from the scene of the crash in Springfield Road, said: "It is really dangerous because there is this just this tiny island in the middle of the road and the cars don't slow down when they see you.

"It's also dangerous trying to cross Springfield Road because you can't see what's coming around the corner.

"I am just surprised there hasn't been a serious accident already.

"We need a pedestrian crossing."

Another resident said: "It is sometimes impossible to cross.

"It's also hard to drive out of the bottom part of Springfield Road because cars and lorries are always parked on double yellow lines on London Road right up to the junction and you just cannot see what is coming."