Thirteen Hong Kong primary school students and a teacher escaped with bruises when a lorry collided with the back of their bus on Thursday afternoon.

Thanks to their lack of height, the students at the back row escaped being beheaded by the lorry's bamboo poles which pierced the back of the bus and shattered the window.

The 50 students from the New Territories were returning to school after a three-day camp.

A traffic mishap had caused the bus to brake suddenly, which in turn caused to lorry to crash into the bus.

Despite being tied, the impact caused the poles to lurch forward.

A student at the back row said: 'I was thrown forward and I heard the window behind us shatter.

'When I turned around, I saw poles piercing through the window. Thankfully I'm short, or the poles might have pierced my head.'