Wirral bus driver nearly loses control after laser shone in his eyes

Aug 19 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

A DRIVER nearly lost control of a bus load of people after two youths shone a laser pen into his eyes.

The Arriva driver was moving along Duke Street, Birkenhead at about 10.30pm last Tuesday, when his vision became blurred after green lights were pointed at him.

The incident came just days after it was reported how yobs were dangerously targeting aircraft coming into land at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport.

Last week a boy was also arrested after allegedly shining a laser pen into the cockpit of a police helicopter.

The bus driver, said: “At first I just saw these lights dancing about in the sky, on the floor and on the walls.

“The next minute they were aimed right into my eyes and I couldn’t see properly for a few seconds.

“I panicked because I had a bus load of people and this could have caused a really nasty accident.

“I thought, what the heck is that?

“It was only when I drove on a bit that I saw two teenage boys crouching behind a wheelie bin.

“I stopped the bus once I got further down the road and rang the police.

“ I phoned up my desk and asked them to send a relief driver out and then I went to Arrowe Park Hospital.