A man on a unicycle was hit by a double-decker bus in London and dragged under the front wheel. Within seconds, around 100 bystanders surrounded the 12-tonne bus and physically lifted it off the ground to free him. The whole thing was caught on video. He spent a month in hospital but survived. The man was on a unicycle. A hundred strangers lifted a bus.
The Day 100 Strangers Lifted a Bus
On Hoe Street in Walthamstow, London, a unicyclist ended up trapped beneath a double-decker bus.
It happened in May 2015, near the junction, after a collision with the number 212 bus. The man was Antony Shields, 55, a circus performer known as Wonder Nose.
Video from the scene showed something that looked impossible. A crowd rushed in, surrounded the bus, and started to lift.
About 100 bystanders joined the effort. Witnesses said people ran from nearby restaurants to help, pushing together until the bus rocked backward.
That movement gave rescuers the space they needed. Shields was pulled free and taken to hospital in east London.
His injuries were serious. He suffered a broken leg, a broken ankle, and a serious groin wound, reportedly caused by a spoke from his unicycle.
He spent about a month in the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. After his release, he spoke about watching the rescue video for the first time.
"When they gave me the Kindle, I started crying," he said. The crowd had not just watched. They had moved.
Most people never expect to lift a bus. That day, enough strangers tried at once, and the impossible shifted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did 100 people really lift a double-decker bus?
Did the unicyclist survive?
Verified Fact
Confirmed by ITV News, HuffPost UK, NBC News (all May 2015). Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London. Number 212 bus. Man aged 55 on unicycle. Approximately 100 bystanders. Video evidence exists. Survived with broken leg after multiple surgeries.
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