Bus driver doused in lighter fuel

Oct 12 2005 By Ben Hurst, Transport Correspondent, Birmingham Mail

THESE are the faces of two men wanted for questioning after a city bus driver was doused in lighter fluid and threatened with being set on fire.

The driver was left unhurt but badly shaken by the attack in Selly Oak, which Travel West Midlands today described as "motiveless".

The assault took place at 9.30pm on Friday, September 30 on the 61 service in Oak Tree Lane, at the junction with Bristol Road.

The vehicle was travelling towards the city centre when the pair were captured on CCTV cameras. Now bus bosses are desperate to catch the louts before they strike again.

Stuart Henry, corporate affairs manager for West Midlands Travel, said: "We are taking this incident extremely seriously and want the public to help us identify the two youths suspected of carrying out this attack on our bus driver.

"We want to make it clear that incidents of this type will not be tolerated by Travel West Midlands and we will do everything we can to identify these two people, alongside our partners at West Midlands Police.

"We would like any help that the public can give in identifying these youths or any other information that they may have regarding the incident."

Mr Henry added: "We hope that our CCTV images will encourage people to come forward to either ourselves or anonymously to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 to identify these youths."