SCHOOLCHILDREN found themselves on a mystery tour when they caught their usual school bus and ended up one-and-a-half hours late for lessons!

Dozens of Tottington High School pupils took the scenic route through Ramsbottom and the Rossendale Valley on Monday morning (June 16) on what should have been a short bus ride.

And the following morning one parent was there to see it did not happen again, in disguise.

First buses, which run the 901 service, confirmed that the driver had taken a wrong turning while going to the Laurel Street school.

The parent making his lone protest stood at the junction of Holcombe Road and Brandlesholme Road and told the Bury Times: "The bus only had to make two left turnings to get to school. It was sort of a mock protest and a bit tongue-in-cheek really. It is so unbelievable what happened that I dressed up and made sure it would not happen again."

Another parent, Mr Jonathan Berry, who 11-year-old son Michael was on the school bus, believed the route the bus driver had taken was up Brandlesholme Road to the top of Longsight Road, into to Bolton Road toward Hawkshaw before going back down Holcombe Road and turning at the Bulls Head pub back into Longsight Road and towards Bury. It then went into Peel Way, up Walmersley Road, towards Edenfield and then back in to Ramsbottom.

He added: "When my son first told me what happened I didn't believe him."

Mr Berry, who lives in Brandlesholme, said that some children got off at Nuttall Park in Ramsbottom and walked to school.

"My son got off with others at Elton High School and walked."

He added:" It seems that the driver ignored the children when they tried to tell him he was going the wrong way."

The school confirmed that children arrived late at school because the "new" driver was unfamiliar with the route but refused to comment further on the incident.

Mr Simon Bennett, First's managing director for bus services in the Bury, Bolton and Wigan areas said: "On Monday this service was taken out by a driver, who though an experienced member of staff, was not too familiar with the route.

" As soon as the driver recognised the error he contacted the depot using the on-bus radio and the schools were immediately contacted.

"I'd like to apologise to parents for any anxiety and concern that this event has caused. However, should any parent require additional reassurances I'd like to invite them to contact our operations manager at the Bury depot, Mr Peter Walch on 0161 627 2929."

He added that driver would be undergoing additional route training!