A tree saved nearly 55 passengers from near jaws of death, as the bus in which they were travelling stuck on it, preventing the vehicle going down some 500 feet deep gorge near Udhagamandalam.

The Government bus was proceeding to Tirupur from Gudalur and the driver tried to overtake another bus at Valley View.

As he noticed a lorry coming from opposite direction, he tried to negotiate and suddenly turned left, resulting in hitting the parapet wall and falling down, police said.

With the passengers screaming, the bus suddenly stuck on a tree just 20 feet down, thus saving the passengers and crew.

All the passengers were rescued by the local with the help of police and in the melee six persons sustained injuries, who were admitted to the Government hospital, they said.