Bus driver punched and kicked in road rage attack

A BorderBus service to the James Paget Hospital from Bungay had to be cancelled after its driver was assaulted in Ellingham. PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2017)

Police are investigating an assault which happened on a rural Norfolk road at Ellingham, near Bungay, on Saturday morning.

Trouble flared when a car was damaged after mounting a kerb as it took evasive action to avoid the bus.

After the bus driver got out to check if the motorist was okay, he was subsequently assaulted before the attacker fled the scene.

No passengers were on the bus at the time of the incident although the 580 BorderBus service from Bungay to Great Yarmouth was cancelled.

A police spokesman said: "We are investigating an assault in Ellingham on Saturday, October 26.

"It follows an incident between a car and a bus on Yarmouth Road at approximately 10.20am in which the car was damaged.

"The driver of the car left the vehicle and assaulted the bus driver before leaving the scene.

"Officers located the driver a short time later and he was detained under the mental health act."

BorderBus chief executive Andrew Pursey said: "It appears to have been a road rage incident rather than an isolated attack.

"The bus was heading through Ellingham towards Bungay for the 10.26am service to Yarmouth and was near a grass verge when a car came flying around the corner.

"The car driver has seen the bus and taken evasive action and gone up the raised kerb, badly damaging the nearside front wheel and suspension."

Mr Pursey added: "The car did not hit the bus and our driver got out to make sure the man was okay.

"But the car driver has then thrown a punch at him and our driver has gone down onto the floor where he has been kicked."

The bus driver managed to get back to his vehicle and called Mr Pursey, before police were alerted.

Mr Pursey said: "When I got there our driver was as white as a sheet and really badly shaken up.

"He has suffered bruising but it was shock more than anything.

"You don't think or expect anything like this would happen in rural Suffolk or Norfolk.

"I've been running buses in Norfolk and Suffolk for 25 years and this is only the second occasion in all that time where a bus driver has been involved in anything like this."

Mr Pursey thanked the public for "all their messages of support".