AN Ilkley Grammar School sixth former has accused police of using excessive force to deal with a 13-year-old boy who would not pay full fare on a bus.

Chris Bane, 16, said he witnessed the boy - also a Grammar School pupil - being thrown against a wall on Brook Street by a police officer after he had refused to pay full fare on the X84 bus to Skipton.

A frightened passenger - who would not be named - told the Ilkley Gazette last week that the boy and his friends were out of control and swearing at passengers, before driver Denise Long-bottom called the police.

She said the policeman who attended the incident used 'reasonable force' to remove the boy from the bus.

But Chris, of Banklands Avenue, Silsden, said he stood on Brook Street on October 2 and watched in horror as the boy was roughly pushed from the bus.

" I didn't see him (the boy) shout at all. I was standing right next to the bus," he said.

"I saw the policeman get on to the bus and then the policeman was talking to the bus driver.

"He then got the little boy, he threw him off the bus. The little boy struggled to stay on his feet. He then threw him against the wall and started prodding his shoulder.

"Two other police officers came to the scene and surrounded the little boy. He was 13-years-old!"

He said the boy then got into the police van, came back out and handed over the fare.

"The 13-year-old actually asked for the policeman's ID number and he didn't give it to him.

"From what I saw the policeman didn't use reasonable force. He was completely out of order.

"The policeman overreacted. He didn't hit the boy. He did push him off the bus and then pushed him against a wall. He (the boy) was shaken and shocked."

A spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police denied excessive force was used.

"Police have the power to remove someone from a bus at the request of a bus driver and that is what happened in this case," she said. "The matter was resolved amicably and the youngster was allowed to get back on the bus.

"His parents have spoken to the arresting officer - a policeman from the Keighley division - and are happy with the police action."

The 13-year-old who was asked to pay full fare was, in fact, entitled to pay half fare but could not prove his age to the bus driver.

A spokesman for First Leeds - which operates the X84 service - said children who looked older than their age were advised to carry a Metro Young Persons Permit to prove their entitlement to half fare.

"To avoid incidents in future we do advise children who look older than their age to get one of these passes," he said.

"If they get one of these it saves any hassles. If a driver is suspicious this helps to overcome that problem. The pass will last until they are 16."

The permit, priced £2, is available from main post offices, Metro bus stations and the First Leeds travel shop in Leeds.

Children need to provide a passport photo and proof of age when purchasing one.

Grammar School head teacher Peter Wood said First Leeds did not have a consistent fares policy and had not told the school, when asked, that the proof of age permits were available to children travelling to Skipton.

"We didn't know the pass existed. We are doing all we can to try to get the bus company to clarify its fare policy," he said.

"The bus company claims to have a fares policy but there are examples of our pupils being charged at least three different amounts for the same journey by different drivers."