THREE pupils from Ulverston Victoria High School were taken to hospital with whiplash and shock after their school bus was in collision with a lorry on Tuesday morning.

The single-decker Stagecoach bus, carrying about 80 Ulverston school pupils from the Broughton area, was in collision with a council gully cleaning vehicle near Lowick Green at around 8.30am.

Police said four pupils sustained minor injuries in the crash with three of them requiring treatment at Barrow's Furness General Hospital.

Two were released after a couple of hours and a 17-year-old girl was discharged later in the day.

UVHS head teacher Melanie Saunders, who declined to name the injured pupils, said the 17-year-old was using a neck brace as a result of whiplash.

The 36-year-old Barrow bus driver, whom Stagecoach would not name, also suffered whiplash in the incident.

He was taken to FGH and has since been discharged.

Barrow Stagecoach operations manager Bob Cook believed the crash was due to the "icy conditions of the road."

Acting Insp David Banks, of Barrow police, said it appeared that the bus had skidded and collided with the council vehicle.

"Early indications are that it was due to adverse weather conditions," he told the Gazette.

Mrs Saunders said that there was no indication from those hurt in the crash that this was anything other than an accident.

"When children are transported by bus I always think they are vulnerable, especially when they're coming from rural areas.

It's always a worry with the weather," said Mrs Saunders.

She added that she would "prefer to have seat-belts on buses but it's always cost-related."