A MOTHER who was left worrying when her children were late home from school today hit out at a driver for refusing to allow them to travel on his bus.

Annette Ford complained to Blackburn Transport following the incident on Thursday tea-time.

She said her 15-year-old daughter Samantha was told by the driver of the double-decker bus that she would have to pay for her four-year-old sister, Sammy - or get off.

The teenager was also in charge of her sister Rebecca, 11, and brother Christopher, eight, after she had picked them up from St James' School, Darwen, to take them home to Anchor Avenue at the other side of town.

Mrs Ford said: "We have never had to pay for Sammy and I am disgusted that this driver saw fit to leave the children stranded.

"They had to walk to their grandmother's to get some more money and then get on another bus.

"I have complained to the bus company but they don't seem to care how much this has upset me."

Tony Cross, traffic manager at Blackburn Transport, said: "The driver was following our standard conditions which clearly state that a maximum of three children under five years of age are allowed to travel at no charge, provided they are accompanied by an adult fare paying passenger. In this case the girl was only 15.

" I will be looking into this further and I am happy to discuss the matter. "

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