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Seventeen people including four children have been injured after a double-decker bus smashed into a shop in a busy north-west London town centre.

The collision happened near to the Jubilee clock in Harlesden High Street at about 2pm today after the route 18 bus lost control and careered into the shop front.

Three people who suffered "serious" injuries and 13 others - including the four children - were taken to hospital, London Ambulance Service said.

Another patient was treated at the scene but did not need to go to hospital.

One witness, a 20-year-old man who wished to be known only as Harry, said there were "about a hundred" emergency services personnel on the scene, and he said the air ambulance had landed nearby.

He told the Standard: "A bus has gone into the shop front and it looks like it's come down the high street and turned right by the clock tower.

"It looks like it's just come off the road and gone into the shop.

"The air ambulance is there and there are so many cars I can't even count them.

"The whole high street is blocked off.

"The whole shop front looks like it's been completely caved in, if someone was in front of that shop it can't be good."

The damaged business is believed to be a jewellery shop called Waves.

Four people who were trapped inside the shop had to be freed by firefighters.

They were released using ladders at the back of the building, the London Fire Brigade said.

Kevin Brown, deputy director of operations at London Ambulance Service, said: “We were called at 2:03pm to reports of a collision between a bus and a building on Harlesden High Street.

“We sent multiple resources to the scene including a single responder in a car and a number of ambulance crews. We also sent our incident response and hazardous area response teams, alongside London’s Air Ambulance.

“We treated 17 patients at the scene.

“We took three patients as a priority to hospital. A further nine adults and four children with minor injuries were also taken to hospital and one was treated and discharged at the scene."

London Fire Brigade station manager Sam Kazmanli said: "The building has been severely damaged so a cordon has been put in place and people have been evacuated from the area.

"Firefighters worked quickly to ensure there were no additional casualties. I’d ask people to avoid the area if possible as there is heavy traffic disruption.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said police were on scene and road closures were in place, adding that no arrests had been made.

The High Street has been closed both ways between Acton Lane and Manor Park Road and motorists have been advised to seek other routes.

Tony Akers, Transport for London's head of bus operations, said a "full investigation" would be carried out.