Coach firm National Express says safety equipment was working properly on one of its York-bound vehicles when it suffered a lights failure on the A64.

The firm investigated after Carole Earp, of Bishopthorpe Road, York, said the telephone on the Manchester to York coach could not make outgoing calls and there were no emergency hazard lights to warn other traffic.

Mrs Earp, who was travelling with her daughters on Sunday night, said other cars had to swerve round the unlit coach and avoid oncoming vehicles on a single carriageway section of the road between Leeds and Tadcaster.

Kevin Bennett, director of marketing and public relations for National Express, said they were aware of the incident "when due to battery problems, the coach experienced failure of the headlights and sidelights.

"The driver immediately stopped and informed the police. The police arrived and were satisfied that the vehicle was parked safely while the driver arranged for the safe transfer of passengers and the recovery of the vehicle.

"The engineers have confirmed to us that the hazard lights were working normally and that the telephone was operational. The driver also had a mobile phone."