'Helpline hero drove me to GP after bus no-show'

Emily Nuttall was travelling to an emergency doctor's appointment

Calling a helpline can be a frustrating experience, but when one woman phoned her local bus company the person she spoke to went beyond simply being helpful - by driving her to a doctor's appointment.

Emily Nuttall, from St Martin, Guernsey, thought she would miss a GP appointment when her bus did not turn up on Tuesday morning, after it was diverted by an emergency road closure.

But when she called the company's helpline the man who answered told her to catch a bus to the company's offices and he would drive her the rest of the way himself.

The 32-year-old said: "He's a hero and he's wonderful - that simple act of kindness made a massive difference to my day."

Miss Nuttall walks therapy dog Alfie once a week to improve her mental health

Miss Nuttall said she was already feeling "really overwhelmed" readjusting to island life after six weeks of treatment off island.

She said: "I thought I'd miss my appointment and end up in hospital - that was a real fear."

"Being autistic, I have to plan my trips, so if it doesn't go to plan it can be quite stressful, especially if I haven't got a backup plan," Miss Nuttall explained.

She said when she called the helpline she expected to be told there was nothing they could do.

So Miss Nuttall was surprised when the operator told her: "My bus driver's made a mistake, it's my responsibility and it's not your fault, so I want to get you to your appointment on time without having to stress."

She said: "I was so grateful and thankful... there still are some good people in the world."

Operator Stagecoach said the staff member asked not to be named as they did not "wish to be singled out".

The firm said it was "delighted with the ingenuity of the customer services team member to resolve the matter."