Emergency services are in attendance after a bus crashed into a shop in Manchester city centre.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were dispatched after reports of the incident in Piccadilly Gardens.

A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service confirmed there are “a number of casualties”.

Photos from the scene show the pavement cordoned off with the bus’s front end inside a bubble tea shop called T4.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said on Monday: “At around 1pm today, police were called to reports of a collision involving a bus and a shop in Piccadilly Gardens.

“Police alongside colleagues in the North West Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue have been in attendance.

“There are road closures in the area whilst emergency services remain at the scene dealing with the collision and officers from GMP’s serious collision investigation unit are in attendance.

“We would ask members of the public to avoid the area where possible whilst officers establish the full circumstances.”

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 1.15pm today, two fire engines from Manchester Central and Salford fire stations as well as the technical response unit from Ashton fire station were called to an incident on Parker Street, Manchester city centre.

“Crews were in attendance for around one hour and 45 minutes.”

A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service said: “We have responded to an incident reported as a bus colliding with a building. The 999 call was received at 1.13pm.

“We have four ambulances, two senior paramedics, a cycle responder, an operations manager and the Hazardous Area Response Team on the scene.”

Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) head of facilities management, Howard Hartley, said: “Bus and tram services are currently unable to stop at Piccadilly Gardens while emergency services deal with a serious incident.

“We have staff there who are on hand to help passengers and direct them to their nearest service, and I’d encourage anyone who usually catches a service in the area to check our website or social media channels for the latest information and advice.”

A large police cordon remains in place as road collision investigators work.