Updated

Published: 3:02 PM July 28, 2019 Updated: 6:27 PM September 17, 2020

A Brexit Party bus has been spotted broken down in a ditch and the internet reacted in a typical fashion - making comparisons to Britain's departure from the European Union.

BBC journalist Sue Charles made the discovery as she was driving through Brecon, where a by-election will take place later this week.

She tweeted she believed it had crashed into a hedge and was stuck in a ditch, and took photographic evidence of it left unattended with the doors still open.

Haydn Rushworth, press officer for the Brexit Party in Wales, had been campaigning on the bus earlier on Saturday and explained there had been a "mechanical glitch" while the driver was travelling alone in the evening and had pulled over.

"It wasn't a publicity stunt, no-one had hijacked it, it wasn't UKIP stealing it and abandoning it," he told PA.

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https://twitter.com/Sue_Charles/status/1155253400398979072

"I've heard some great stories - unfortunately it was just a breakdown.

"It's a terrific one for our opponents, I'm sure they could come up with some phenomenal metaphors... I'm not going to be the one that comes up with them."

Rushworth said he did not know where the driver was when the bus was pictured empty, but speculated that they had been searching for phone signal - and Ms Charles added she too had no service when she was by the bus.

Social media were quick to make analogies to Brexit itself.

https://twitter.com/rosskempsell/status/1155446054889897986

Food critic Jay Rayner tweeted: "Today's gift from the Gods of Unsubtle metaphor: A Brexit Party bus, abandoned after crashing into a hedge, and therefore blocking the way forward."

Comedy writer James Felton wrote: "So you're saying they got into a car crash then fled the scene leaving someone else to deal with the mess?"

Twitter user @afterdark said: "Almost like they were going in the wrong direction and failed miserably at trying to turn it around, then jumping ship and leaving someone else to deal with their mess...."

Daniela Nadj posted: "That's exactly what Brexit is. How fitting the bus crashed into a hedge and was left abandoned. I mean it couldn't happen to a nicer party."

https://twitter.com/joanne_godding/status/1155424983126020096

Another said: "Siri show me a powerful metaphor for the state of the UK."

Jeremy Andrews said: "Brexit is not just a car crash, it's a bus crash."

While some pointed out the dangerous nature of leaving a broken down bus unattended at dusk in the middle of the road, it did spark some laughs from onlookers.

One in particular was Joanne Godding, who tweeted her bafflement after passing the bus being towed through Cardiff.