Wilts & Dorset double-decker bus spotted in California Published duration 21 January 2016

image copyright Alan Milford image caption The double-decker bus "complete with UK adverts" was described as looking a "little lost in San Fran" by surprised residents

A 25-year-old Wilts & Dorset double-decker bus has been spotted trundling the streets of San Francisco.

The bus "complete with UK adverts" was described as looking a "little lost in San Fran" by surprised residents.

City resident Alan Milford said: "It drove past and I snapped it as it was so out of place."

Andrew Wickham, from the UK bus operator, said it was one of a fleet of double-deckers shipped to the States about a year ago.

Shots of the "random English" double-decker struggling through traffic in San Francisco first started appearing on social media in October.

'Americans love them'

Former BBC Radio Five Live presenter Caroline Feraday, who spotted it in the city centre, posted a shot with the tweet : "I can't help but think this Wiltshire & Dorset school bus is a little lost".

While Dan Cassell said he was "speechless" when he saw it go by.

He added: "It even said it was going to Christchurch!"

image copyright Caroline Feraday image caption Wilts & Dorset buses, now known as Salisbury Reds, said it was one of a fleet of double-deckers shipped to the US last year

Mr Wickham insisted it was "not one of their longer services" but actually part of a fleet of double-deckers shipped to the United States about a year ago.

"The buses had reached the end of their lives and they [Americans] love English double-decker buses," he said.

"They were bought by the British Bus Company in San Diego and were shipped across to Florida and then driven across the States.

"It's pretty unusual to ship old double-decker buses to the US and they would have had well over a million miles on the clock."

But Fred Corlett, from the British Bus Company, said all five double-deckers which took on the "3,000 mile journey across the USA" had "made it".

"The one in San Francisco is operated by San Francisco Deluxe Tours and we have two in San Diego that are also still operating in Wilts & Dorset Livery," he said.

"The vehicles are so well maintained and presented - we have reserved the next two buses to be retired this summer."

image copyright Caroline Feraday image caption The 25-year-old buses were driven nearly 3,000 miles (4,828 km) from Brunswick in Georgia to California