An inquiry is under way by a bus company into a driver's conduct after a Baildon teenager with learning difficulties was reduced to tears when her bus pass was wrongly confiscated.

Anita Birchall's daughter Sarah Birchall, 18, was travelling on the First Bradford 676 service from her home in Baildon to Shipley College, when the driver took her half-fare student pass and demanded she pay full fare.

Then, according to Sarah, he threw her pass picture at her as she left the bus at the end of her journey.

First Bradford has apologised for the incident and Metro, the passenger transport authority, has issued Sarah with a new pass.

But Sarah's mother Anita Birchall said: "It's disgraceful. My daughter suffers from learning difficulties and is very shy and timid.

"This man had no right to speak to her this way. She was in a dreadful state and I had to collect her from college."

According to Mrs Birchall, Sarah's tutors had to call her at work and ask her to collect Sarah who had turned up at college crying.

"She said two men had been shouting at her and she didn't know why. She has never had any problems with her half-fare pass before."

A Metro survey officer was also on the bus.

Brandon Jones, of First Bradford, said: "We can confirm the incident occurred on the 676 service. It was reported by Mrs Birchall and we have launched an investigation. We can also confirm a concessionary permit was withdrawn but until the investigation is completed we can't confirm why.

"I would like to apologise to Sarah for any distress that was caused. We are working with Mrs Birchall and Metro and hopefully it will be concluded very shortly."

Sarah travels on the service twice a week when she attends Shipley College for a Training in Retail and Custodial Services course. It is aimed at building the confidence and working experience of youngsters with learning difficulties.

Mrs Birchall said: "She has just started to gain confidence through her course at Shipley College and was getting used to travelling on buses by herself. I just hope it doesn't stop her from travelling by herself again."

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