This shocking video shows a terrified schoolboy being dragged screaming 150 metres down a road after his schoolbag got caught on the bus.
Lee Huckle, 11, was hauled off his feet after the bag became tangled on the doubledecker bus as he got off and started to walk home after school.
Horrified Mum Rachel claims the driver failed to properly check his mirrors and pulled away oblivious to the fact he was dragging the petrified boy down the road.
Stagecoach, however, strongly deny this and say no blame can be apportioned to the unnamed driver.
Mother-of-four Mrs Huckle, 34, said: “As Lee was walking down the side of the bus, his bag got caught on the right-hand side of the bus, near the cooler.
“He was dragged around 150m, just hanging on by his bag. He was bouncing from side to side causing injuries to his hips and legs.
“We’re horrified this happened and are thanking our lucky stars its wasn’t more serious.
“We can’t believe the driver’s claiming it wasn’t his fault, he should have been checking his mirrors.”
The incident left Lee with large grazes on his arms, legs and torso and he was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, for treatment.
He was discharged several hours later after receiving treatment for minor injuries.
Lee’s father Stuart, 41, was at home at the time of the accident and rushed to the scene after being alerted by Lee’s older brother Louis, 14.
Tree surgeon Stuart said: “I sprinted there when I heard what happened. When I got there it was shocking.
“He was surrounded by people tending to him. The bus driver didn’t seem too bothered though, he just said he couldn’t see him.
“He should have been checking his mirrors, we’re just glad it wasn’t more serious.”
The accident happened around 4pm on Monday, October 17, after Lee had finished school at Alderman Peel High School in Wells, Norfolk.
He was getting his usual 434 Stagecoach service home which drops him a short distance from his home in Heacham, Norfolk.
As he was dragged fown the road Lee’s older brother Lewis as well as a number of other schoolchildren had ran after the bus in an attempt to alert the bus driver.
The driver apparently only stopped when he was flashed by an oncoming vehicle.
Mrs Huckle said: “It could have been so much worse. We, as parents to Lee, want people to be made aware of this, as it could happen to any schoolchild.
“We want them to be so much more vigilant when travelling to and from school on the buses.”
Mr Huckle said that after the incident Lee had had to take the rest of the week off of school, and has not really been himself since it happened.
Mr Huckle said: “He did have a very good half-term. He’s usually out being active and doing lots of things, but he hasn’t been doing that this week.”
He added that the family have received lots of support from others since they posted information about the incident online.
Zoe Paget, operations director at Stagecoach East, said: “The boy alighted the bus at Heacham Fox and Hounds pub and was walking down the side of the bus swinging his school bag.
“The strap of his bag got caught on a hinge of the bus and the student was dragged for a short distance until the driver, who had been checking in his offside mirror whilst moving off, spotted him and stopped the bus immediately and called emergency services.
“Safety is our absolute number one priority. The driver was subsequently interviewed by the police and no blame has been attributed towards him.”
A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said inquiries into the incident were ongoing.
The family have two other children, Reece, nine, Gracie, four.
