A driver whose bus got stuck in flood water during Storm Frank - causing his passengers to be air lifted to safety - has said the bus became an out-of-control boat as it began to fill with water. 

Tudor Davies told his Ayr Sheriff Court trial yesterday (TUES) that he ended up trapped in his cab in the bus, covered in glass, after flood water lifted it off the ground - and sent it crashing in to some trees. 

Davies, who was sacked following the incident, said he had to stand on his steering wheel for around five hours until he was rescued, because the force of the flood water pinned his cab door closed. 

Ten adults and two children were left trapped on the Stagecoach bus being driven by Davies, 49, in Dailly, Ayrshire, on December 30 last year.

The number 58 bus they were on - which was on a diversion from its usual route between Ayr and Girvan because of the weather - became engulfed by flood water.

The men, women and children - who were just five and seven - had to stand on top of the handles on the back of the seats for over three hours before being airlifted to safety by a helicopter.

Davies, of Patna, Ayrshire, denies driving the Man M2000 18.220 Hocl Stagecoach bus dangerously in Dailly's Linfern Road on December 30.

Prosecutors claim he breached Section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 by driving a "public service vehicle in to an area of road which was heavily flooded by water, to the danger of passengers on said public services vehicle."

Giving evidence at his trial last month, passengers said the bus took less than a minute to foll with water which was so high it went up to their chests.

Passengers Phyllis Young, 61, and Josephine Smylie, 67, said they feared they might die as watre poured in to the bus.

And yesterday (TUES) Davies said he completely lost control of his bus - to the point where the vehicle was transformed in to an out-of-control boat.

He said he stopped at the edge of the floor water, which was covering a bridge, but saw it was only 4-5ins deep and thought he could drive through.

He explained: "I always stop to assess before I make any decision - the safety of passengers is imperative.

"I started moving forward but slowly, my speed was no more than five-miles-per-hour.

"I could see the water level through the door - it was way below the level of the bus.

"Then, all of a sudden, I could see the water level starting to rise.

"The flood was coming up the road towards the bus like a surge of water.

"I tried to stop and tried to steer the bus but the force of the water lifted the bus up.

"The bus became like a boat.

"The force of the water actually lifted the bus and the water came in to the bus - it actually moved the bus across the road.

"A section of the wall [next to the river] actually collapsed as we went through which caused the surge of water."

Davies, who has been a bus driver for 15 years and has won awards for his safe driving, said he was remorseful for what happened and tried his best to keep control of his vehicle.

He explained: "My first reaction was actually to stop the bus but the force of the water lifted the bus up.

"The bus was sort of floating and there was no way of stopping the vehicle.

"The bus became out-of-control.

"Your initial instinct as a driver is to try and steer the bus, to try and brake, but obviously nothing was happening.

"The bus floated across and crashed in to the trees.

"I was very nervous and very scared.

"The bus went in to the trees and smashed the offside windows.

"There was glass everywhere - I was trying to get the glass off myself.

"I tried to get out of the cab.

"The force of the water actually opened the bus doors and the water came in - the force of the water meant I couldn't open the cab.

"I was trapped in the cab, the water was probably at chest height.

"I climbed on top of the steering wheel and on top of the seat.

"I was still in about a foot of water but there was nowhere else to actually go."

Davies, who is Welsh, denied he had driven dangerously and defended his decision to drive into the flood water.

He said: "I had no doubt that day it was safe for me to proceed.

"I'm sure if we'd gone through that water and that wall hadn't collapsed we would have made it through that flood."

The court heard that Davies had been awarded a certificate and a badge in 2013 and 2014 for making the Green Road Fleet Elite.

The accolade is described as being "the highest green road honour" and is awarded only to drivers who have the best driving record according to a secoring system based on a GPS system that tracks their manner of driving.

But, the court heard, he did not receive one for 2015 because he was sacked from his job due to the Storm Frank incident.

Following Davies' evidence Procurator Fiscal Depute Scott Toal, prosecuting, asked Sheriff Mhairi Mactaggart to convict Davies, saying his driving "fell far below the level expected of a competent and careful driver."

But defence solicitor Tony Currie, representing Davies, said he should be acquitted.

He explained: "My submission is it is not dangerous to drive in to that water having stopped and considered what to do."

Sheriff Mactaggart adjourned the case until next month and told Davies she will give her verdict on the next occasion.

As she adjourned the case and ordained him to appear before her, she said: "Certain matters have arisen in this case which I think require careful analysis."

Communities across Scotland and northern England were besieged by flood water as Storm Frank brought a month's worth of rain in one night.