A bus stop that transport bosses were convinced had been stolen was actually ripped from the ground by a taxi, it has emerged.

Transport for London said yesterday it believed the sign, in Selsdon Road, South Croydon, had been bizarrely dug up and taken by thieves - who even found time to fill in the hole left behind. 

But a witness today described how the bus stop actually met its untimely demise when a car ploughed into it, "completely obliterating it". 

No one was hurt, but bemused commuters found their usual bus stop had gone - and blamed Transport for London (TfL) for removing it. 

TfL denied involvement in the disappearance, which it learned of on Friday, and pledged to report the "theft" to the police.

Vernon Jones, its Croydon bus infrastructure controller, said yesterday: "We believe the missing bus stop on Selsdon Road in Croydon has been stolen and we are currently investigating the circumstances of this. 

"We will be contacting the police to report the theft and will look to install a new bus stop as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience to our passengers in the interim."

But Holly Snowling, who witnessed the 6am crash on October 12, said: "A car hit the bus stop completely obliterating it and overturning the car which ended up on its side.

"Fortunately the driver was relatively unhurt and there were no passengers on pedestrians involved. The police and fire service attended the scene after my call to 999."

She added: "I find it hard to believe that other local residents slept through it and saw no signs of the accident since the vehicle remained past the morning."

Croham councillor Maria Gatland said the bus stop's disappearance had angered commuters.

She said: "It is quite close to me and I know it is well used.

"I have been told by furious passengers that there were residents with heavy shopping trolleys, mums with push chairs and a disabled lady with a walking stick. 

"Responding to the outcry from passengers the driver told them that TfL had taken it away."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force had not received a report of a stolen bus stop.

TfL has installed a temporary sign at the stop, between Rockhampton Road and Carlton Road.

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