Man charged after bus hijacking in County Tyrone

A 39-year-old man has been charged with a number of offences after a bus was hijacked in County Tyrone on Saturday.

The driver of the bus was threatened at knife point by a man, who then allowed passengers to leave the bus. However, the bus driver was kept on board.

The charges include kidnapping, hijacking, aggravated vehicle taking causing injury and possession of an offensive weapon.

The man will appear before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show a Translink Goldliner coach being driven at speed through residential streets while being chased by a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) patrol car.

Police said the bus was hijacked in the Beltany Road area of Omagh, Co Tyrone, shortly before 13:00 BST on Saturday.

The man who hijacked the bus then made off in the direction of Newtownstewart and a pursuit ensued along the A5 through Victoria Bridge and Sion Mills. The pursuit lasted nearly 20 miles.

"The bus was eventually stopped in the Head of the Town area of Strabane and a man, aged in his 30s was removed from the bus and subsequently arrested," said a PSNI spokesperson.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said two people were taken to South West Acute Hospital for treatment.