Bus driver attacked in busy Brighton street

A bus driver has been attacked in one of Brighton’s busiest shopping streets.

The attacker punched the driver of a 49 in the stomach as he sat in his cab at about 2.30pm on Wednesday 22 March.

The attack took place in Western Road, Brighton, after the driver had been waiting to pull up at a bus stop.

He let passengers off while he waited but asked people wanting to board the bus to allow him to pull up properly at the bus stop outside the O2 shop.

As he reopened the doors his attacker rushed on to the bus and punched the driver several times and shouted abuse. He got off the bus, followed by the driver and continued to shout abuse.

Sussex Police said that the driver was uninjured but shaken and unable to continue working that day.

His attacker was described as a white man, in his late fifties, 5ft 8in tall, with scruffy short light grey hair. He was wearing a green waterproof jacket and round glasses and was carrying a small camera with a black strap around his neck.

Anyone who saw the attack is asked to call Sussex Police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.