The bungling bus driver involved in a collision with a railway bridge in South Norwood has resigned, an Arriva spokesman said.

Before the driver was subjected to a suspension and drawn-out investigation he left the employment of Arriva permanently.

A spokesman said: "Our policy is to suspend a member of staff following a serious incident, until the facts are established.

"The driver involved in this incident has resigned before any formal interview could take place."

The double decker smash was caused when a driver took a wrong turn, bosses revealed.

Two passengers were injured when a 197 route bus slammed into the railway bridge over Portland Road.

The structure has been struck 42 times over the past 12 years and railway engineers have repeatedly warned the 12ft height is too short for high vehicles like double deckers.

The crash happened at about 11.30pm on Friday, peeling back about a third of the roof on the top deck, injuring two passengers and leaving another 15 badly shaken.

Two fast response cars and an ambulance raced to the accident scene. Two people were taken to King's College Hospital with minor injuries, while another two were taken to a nearby address suffering from shock.