A man has died after a bus crashed into a bridge in the Highlands and landed on its side.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident south-east of Munlochy, on the Black Isle, near Inverness, just after 5.40pm on Friday.

The collision involved a 37-seater service bus which was travelling from Inverness to Cromarty.

Police have confirmed that the driver of the bus, a 50-year-old male, sustained fatal injuries.

There were nine passengers on the bus at the time of the collision, three of whom remain in a serious but stable condition, with the other passengers sustaining minor injuries.

Sergeant Alan Henderson, of the road policing unit, Highlands and Islands division, said: “Our thoughts at this time are with those involved and their families.

“An investigation into the collision is under way and we have already spoken to a number of witnesses. In order to help establish the cause of the collision, I would urge anyone who saw the vehicle prior to the collision who has not already come forward, to do so.

“Likewise, if any motorists believe they may have dashcam footage which could assist our enquiries, I appeal for them to come forward.”

A spokesman for the bus company, Stagecoach, said: “The thoughts of everyone at Stagecoach are with the family and friends of our driver, as well as the passengers who were injured in the accident.

“Our driver was a popular member of staff at our Inverness depot and had been with the company for around 12 years.

“We are providing support to his family and work colleagues, and we are continuing to help the police with their investigation into the cause of the accident.

“We would also like to thank another driver from the Inverness depot who spotted the accident as he was driving another service to Inverness and gave assistance at the scene.”