Peshwari Naan

This is Not Work reports on 17th September 2008...

£1 National Express coach tickets

It appears that those wacky marketing people at National Express may have ended up with a certain amount of egg on their cheeks this month after the 'hilarious' Your bums... £1 seats sale has had to be extended by 10 days, presumably because not enough of us bums signed up.

There were 25,000 seats on sale at £1 to an impressive list of destinations and the booking period has now been extended to 23 September with travel to the end of the month.

Unfortunately, we couldn't find any of the £1 seats, suggesting that the credit crunch isn't that bad after all if people are still prepared to part with a quid to cross the country. But we did find returns from Newcastle to London and vice versa for a mere £76 (less than £20 each) for a family of four during October half-term, which compares with £430-odd for flights.

If you are tempted, beware that insurance option is pre-ticked and you don't need insurance for a bus ride.

Halifax Evening Courier reports on 8th September 2008...

Bus driver's nightmare trip - punched at wheel by drunk woman.

By Elaine Jinks

A DRUNK woman attacked a driver at the wheel of a moving bus.
Passenger Jill Tibbetts, 48, grabbed Peter Wortley by the hair, shoved his face against the window and punched him as he tried to steer the National Express coach towards Halifax bus station. Tibbetts, of Kershaw Crescent, Luddenden Foot, had been drinking during the four-hour journey from Birmingham.

When Mr Wortley told her she could not drink alcohol on the coach, she told him he was "stupid". Then Tibbetts started harassing other passengers, walking about and moving seats. While he was driving Mr Wortley asked her to sit down a number of times. Tibbett became abusive and the driver eventually called police.

Mark Steeples, prosecuting, told Calderdale Magistrates Court: "As Mr Wortley approached Halifax bus station, she shouted at him to be let off the coach. He could not stop the coach at that point and it was still in motion when the defendant assaulted him. "She grabbed hold of him by his hair and began to pull it very hard. Then she pushed his head into the window and punched him."

Mr Wortley managed to push her off and stop the coach. He then tried to restrain her on the floor but let her go when she struggled. Mr Wortley ordered Tibbetts to get off the bus but instead she attacked him a second time, pulling his hair again until some of it came out. She then got off the bus but was traced through some documents she had left on the coach.

When she was arrested Tibbetts said she could not remember the incident but accepted responsibility. Richard Brown, for Tibbetts, who admitted assault, said: "She is genuinely remorseful." He said she had struggled with alcohol for years and suffered from depression and anxiety.

Magistrates told her it was a sustained attack with no regard for other passengers safety, which had caused injury to a public servant. They warned her she could go to jail. Sentencing was adjourned until October 15 for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Tibbetts was released on bail.