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Mum's terror as bus drove off with son
A MUM says her four-year-old son has been left 'petrified' of travelling on buses - after a bus driver closed the doors and drove off with him on board while she was still standing at the stop.
Sarah Cowen, 22, said she was catching the First number 75 bus with son Junior McNeil from outside her flat on Batemoor Road, Batemoor, when a woman was boarding the bus ahead of them and Junior followed her.
Then, as Sarah was about to stub out her cigarette and get on board too, the driver closed the doors and started moving without her.
She chased after the bus and pressed the emergency button on the side. When the driver allowed her to board she claims he told her: "Stop being a silly little cow."
Sarah, a taxi firm telephonist, said: "The driver looked me in the face, closed the doors, and drove off with my son. I panicked and ran after the bus. I could hear my son screaming as the bus was driving off. It was halfway up the road when I pressed the emergency button. When the driver opened the door he said, 'I was only messing, I would've let you on'. He told me to 'stop being a silly little cow'."
Junior, a nursery pupil at Lower Meadows Primary, Batemoor, is now scared of buses, Sarah said.
"He won't get on a bus now - he's petrified. I use public transport every day, and it's been difficult to go anywhere. I've complained to First and all they offered me is a free travel pass for a month.".
First deputy MD Brandon Jones said: "The driver assumed the little boy was with the first lady. The driver asked Ms Cowen if she wanted to get on but she didn't reply.
"The bus started to move forward but, as the driver did so, he realised Ms Cowen wanted to get on board. When he understood the boy was with her, he was upset and apologised. We have written a letter of apology."
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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