A bus driver whose single decker knocked over and killed a pensioner managed to steer it away from a packed Walsall cafe, a court heard.

John Connolly stood on his brake pedal in a desperate attempt to stop the Arriva bus, which was described as “taking off like an aeroplane” from Walsall’s main station, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. The 63-year-old, told Police Community Support Officer Paul Whittaker of his efforts moments after the accident.

Connolly, who is on trial charged with causing death by dangerous driving, told the officer: “I had just taken over the bus. I put it into gear and had released the hand brake when it just shot forward. I had my foot on the brake but it just kept accelerating.

“I tried to steer it out of the way of the people. I couldn’t do anything with it and just couldn’t stop it.”

Jean Crump, aged 63, of Lime Avenue, Bentley, was killed as she walked along a zebra crossing with friend Jennifer Fiddler, who was seriously injured.

The bus then hit a passenger shelter, cars and a Travel West Midlands bus bound for Birmingham after turning the wrong way down a one-way street shortly after 11am on July 9, 2007.

A driver who had been at the wheel of the bus just minutes before the incident broke down in court as he spoke about the tragedy.

Michael Jones had left the engine running on the 360 Arriva bus after his shift.

“John made a split decision to go left – if he had continued to go straight on he would have gone into a café packed full of people. It could have been even worse.”

Barry Swan, bus driver for Travel West Midlands, saw the bus race off. “The front of the vehicle seemed to lift,” he said. “It was revving very loudly. It took off like an aeroplane,” he said.

Connolly, from Darwin Close, Burntwood, denies causing death by dangerous driving. His defence will begin on Monday.

The trial continues.