Pensioner steers bus to safety when driver passes out at the wheel

Pensioner steers bus to safety when driver passes out at the wheel
Pensioner steers bus to safety when driver passes out at the wheel

PA


A 67-year-old man from Leicestershire has been praised by police for preventing a serious accident after steering the bus he was travelling on to safety when the driver passed out at the wheel.

The Mirror reports that Alfred Throop, who hasn't driven for more than a decade, leapt from his seat when he noticed that the Arriva bus was swaying from side to side and then realised that the driver was unconscious.

He told The Mirror: "It was very scary. Like a scene out of a James Bond film is how it's been described.

"I noticed the bus going from side to side on the road and thought 'there's something wrong here'.

"I got up to go to the front of the bus and that's when I noticed the driver was not himself. He looked like he'd blacked out or had a fit.

"I kept asking him if he was alright. I grabbed the wheel and tried to steer it. I panicked as I couldn't find the brake and I saw cars coming down the road and cars parked on the side of the road. We could easily have hit somebody."

The Daily Mail reports that the incident happened in Northfields, Leicestershire on Thursday. Mr Throop steered the bus away from pedestrians and only let go of the wheel at the last minute as the kerb approached. The bus stopped when it collided with metal railings at a pedestrian crossing. The impact damaged the front of the bus and two passengers were injured.

Leicestershire Police confirmed that a driver was "taken ill at the wheel". A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: "Mr Throop's brave actions prevented the bus from causing further damage and serious injury to members of the public."

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