Bus driver commended for helping vulnerable woman

Darren Roe, managing director of Stagecoach East (left), marked the award alongside head of operations at the Peterborough depot, Hema Russell (right) and Lewis Mayo (centre)

A bus driver has won an award for his compassion after helping a vulnerable young woman.

Lewis Mayo, a driver for Stagecoach East in Peterborough, helped a 20-year-old woman who was cold and had been sleeping rough, but had no money for the fare.

He allowed her to board the bus, but later noticed she had curled into a ball and looked extremely pale, so he called 999.

Mr Mayo received the Stagecoach star of the month award in the category of 'doing the right thing'.

The 20 year-old woman boarded Mr Mayo's bus at Queensgate Bus Station in Peterborough and asked to be taken to Spalding in Lincolnshire.

Mr Mayo said paramedics were able to revive the woman who was taken to hospital.

Darren Roe, managing director of Stagecoach East, said: "I am so proud of the thoughtful and compassionate way that Lewis approached what was a very difficult situation – and to the rest of the team and the emergency services who worked so quickly and professionally to offer what help they could.

"Our thoughts are with this young woman and it just goes to show that, as people who run local buses, we are very much part of the local communities we serve – because they are our communities."