AN investigation has been launched into allegations that a school bus almost caused an accident involving five members of the same New Forest family.

Tony Gray said his wife Angela was leading a pony ridden by their nine-year-old daughter Athena when the bus appeared.

Pupils on board the vehicle included their 12-year-old daughter Alishia and their two teenage sons, who were returning from Hounsdown School, Totton.

Mr Gray, 46, of Newbridge Road, Cadnam, said: "My wife saw the bus coming and noticed that it didn't appear to be slowing down.

"She and Athena got into a gateway to a field just in time to avoid the vehicle."

Mr Gray sent a hard-hitting letter to the county council in which he wrote: "The driver gave no consideration to the fact there was a pony with a child on its back.

"My three other children were on board and screamed at the driver to slow down."

The letter said other people had complained about the way school buses were being driven and added: "As a parent I am deeply concerned.

"If more consideration does not arise from the drivers it will become necessary to find alternative ways of sending my children to school.

"This will be at the county council's expense, not mine."

Mr Gray said the incident that sparked his complaint had involved a Buddens Coaches vehicle that was being driven along the Copythorne to Newbridge road.

A reply from Hampshire County Council transport officer Colin Wright said: "I am satisfied that Buddens Coaches have appropriately investigated the event with the driver and that this is a sufficient course of action on this occasion.

"Our contractors are fully conversant with local traffic conditions and carry out their transport commitments with few causes for complaint.

"However, we make occasional observations of our school transport journeys and I will ask our bus inspector to look at this contract when he's next in the area."

A Buddens spokesman declined to comment.