A cyclist who was killed after being in collision with a bus in Birmingham was named today as John Ariss, aged 63.

Mr Ariss, a postal sorter with Royal Mail, was cycling home from work when the accident happened early yesterday.

Police officers said that Mr Ariss, from Weoley Castle, leaves a wife and five grown-up children – three sons and two daughters.

They have questioned a 40-year-old man on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.

The man, thought to be the bus driver, was arrested and later bailed pending further inquiries.

Mr Ariss suffered multiple injuries in the accident which involved a single-decker bendy-bus and happened at the junction of Lancaster Circus and James Watt Queensway at 6.10am.

Firefighters used airbags to lift the single-decker number 67 bus during a delicate 20-minute operation to release him.

He was taken to City Hospital but died five hours later.

The accident caused huge traffic congestion in the city centre, with thousands of rush-hour workers becoming caught up in delays.

The area remained closed for several hours while police accident investigators worked at the scene.

Police today renewed an appeal for witnesses to come forward.