SINCE her husband died three years ago a Golborne pensioner has tried to rebuild her life.

While he was alive he drove her everywhere by car, and it took some time before she could gain the confidence to travel alone by bus. Gradually she managed it, and eventually grew to look forward to meeting people and having a chat.

But recently an incident put her off public transport for good.

The 69-years-old was verbally abused by young boys using foul language after she asked them to stop kicking the seat she was sitting on.

The gran reported the matter to the bus conductor, but claims even they are frightened of children. They fear they can't do a thing because they could get into trouble if they threw the young offenders off. They haven't a leg two stand on.

Sadly the old lady told me pensioners everywhere are in fear of these little thugs. Children are not children any more. All you have to do is listen to all the old people and you'll find they don't go out after 3.30pm when the schools finish.

It's a terrible situation when an old person's dream is to win enough money to move away from this area.

And the Governent is living in a fantasy world if it thinks people are going to ditch their cars and put up with treatment like this on public transport. No chance.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.