A COLLISION which left a coach stranded in a ditch and saw the driver trapped inside the vehicle has brought the roads to a standstill.

The coach was not carrying any passengers but four people are currently being assessed by ambulance staff opposite The Packhorse pub after another four vehicles were involved in the crash.

Traffic has been stopped in both directions on the A4074 in Chazey Heath and motorists are being warned to avoid the area.

Emergency services remain on scene after the collision which took place around 5.10pm this afternoon.

A member of staff at The Packhorse pub described the incident as "pretty nasty" and said staff had rushed out to help as soon as they heard the crash.

They said: "My manager went out to divert the traffic about an hour ago and they are still there.

"Because of where it is it had blocked up the traffic all the way down to Caversham Bridge we are told.

"From both ways you cannot go past and they [Police] are telling everyone to turn around."

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service confirmed that four patients were being assessed following the crash.

He said: "We are still on scene. It was a coach with no passengers in a collision with four cars.

"The coach has come off the road."

Two of the patients were described as "walking wounded" and the other two are still being assessed by ambulance staff at the scene.

A commuter who was travelling home through Caversham told the Chronicle the roads were "chaos" and that queues of traffic appeared to be heading for Reading Bridge as an alternative.

Officers remain on scene but Thames Valley Police were unavailable to comment on their involvement in the incident.