TRANSPORT bosses today launched an investigation after an 84-year-old pensioner was crushed under the wheels of a double decker bus.

Police said Willie Pickles, of East View, Trawden, fell into the road in front of the bus as it set off from a stop in Church Street, Trawden, at 4pm yesterday.

Mr Pickles suffered severe crush injuries.

He was taken to hospital where his condition was described as critical today.

Officers investigating the incident said the Burnley and Pendle Transport bus had just finished dropping off some passengers when Mr Pickles fell into the road.

The vehicle had set off and the pensioner was run over by the rear wheels.

A spokesman for Burnley and Pendle Transport said: "We will issue a statement when a series of investigations have been carried out.

"We are working with the police to establish what happened."

Church Street and Lambert Street were both closed by the police until about 7pm.

Margaret Birtwistle, who lives in Church Street, said she arrived home shortly after Mr Pickles was hurt.

She said: "I had just gone to the garage to see if my car was ready.

"I heard people talking about someone being knocked down, so I came back to see what was going on.

"When I got to my house Mr Pickles was lying in the road at the bottom of Lambert Street.

"He was lying on his left-hand side and not moving.

"He lay there for quite a while and was being attended by four paramedics who put a blue bag under his leg which they pumped up to raise it.

"He didn't look good at all and when they lifted him up his face was all bruised.

"They took him away in an ambulance but his hat and sock were left there for a while.

"The police said they would have to take photographs for evidence."

Mrs Birtwistle said the bus had come up Church Street at about 3.45pm when a group of schoolchildren got off.

She said Mr Pickles was well known in Trawden and she would often see him out and about, sometimes with a stick.

Mr Pickles has one daughter in Laneshawbridge, who has now been contacted by the police.