A SUPPORT group has expressed its dismay after one of its disabled volunteers was verbally abused on a bus.

The 35-year-old double amputee, who uses a wheelchair and is paraplegic, was called a "freak" by another passenger who refused to move for her while travelling from Whitefield to Bury.

The incident happened when she boarded the bus, which was a replacement service operating while the tram network was down on March 22, at Whitefield tram stop as she made her way to the Fight Back 4 Justice offices.

The volunteer, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I was getting the tram in from Didsbury, but they were all stopping at Whitefield so I had to get off and get a bus there.

"There was nobody around to help me, and once I got to the bus there was already someone in a wheelchair on it so I had to wait for another.

"Then there were two girls with buggies in the wheelchair spot. The driver asked if they could collapse the buggies and have the babies on their knee, then she got very stroppy.

"She said that she wouldn't wake up her baby for "this freak" to get on. The driver was lovely with me and it wasn't his fault, there's nothing he could do."

Michelle Cardno, who founded the group which helps disabled people in Bury to appeal adverse welfare benefit decisions, said: "We hear constantly about hate crimes like this. One of my clients told me once about how someone came up to them and smashed their car window.

"It's very difficult to stop. We can't take the government on, but we do all we can to make sure people can keep their benefits.

"We are constantly firefighting and unfortunately we don't have the resources to take it further.

"We need people like her because we rely on volunteers. It's not easy for her and others to get here, and things like this only make it worse."

The not-for-profit organisation has also called for disabled people's needs to be better taken into account by transport bosses.

Wheelchair users have reported that, if the lift is broken at Bury Metrolink station, they have to go all the way back to Radcliffe to get a taxi back to the town centre.

The volunteer, who has been working with Fight Back 4 Justice for five months, added: "I once had a woman in a shop tell me that I shouldn't be out in public and that I scared her children. You just get used to it.

"Another time, I was parked in Tesco in Didsbury in the disabled spot and a woman came over and started going on at me that I shouldn't be there.

"I told her I needed a wheelchair, which was in the front seat, but she didn't listen and slapped me in the face."

A spokesman for First Bus said: “Our obligations to all of our customers are of utmost importance. This includes treating all customers with courtesy and respect; providing an adequate complaints procedure; and investigating any issues to address concerns raised.

“We are committed to ensuring that our buses are accessible to everyone

“All of our drivers are given disability training to develop equality awareness and promote inclusion for all of our customers.

“Our drivers must comply with our policy, which is specifically tailored to address the needs of wheelchair users.

“If the wheelchair space is occupied by a non-wheelchair user and the bus is not full, our policy requires that the driver must ask that it is made free for a wheelchair user.

“Please note, however, that the driver has no power to compel passengers to move in this way.

“If a customer informs our driver of anti-social behaviour or abuse, our staff can seek the support of the police if requested on route or on return to depot when repeated incidents can be followed with the support of the police.”

To get involved with Fight Back 4 Justice, call 0161 672 7444 or email fightback4justice@live.co.uk.