A TERRIFIED schoolboy was dragged along the road by his foot after a bus driver closed the doors on him and set off down a busy street.
The 14-year-old was on his way home from Elthorne Park High School with two friends when the accident happened in Boston Road, Hanwell.
The victim's father, of Church Road, Hanwell, who asked for the family not to be named, said he was very lucky his son was not killed on Wednesday afternoon (May 23).
The 49-year-old said: “It's unbelievable. I can't contemplate how it could have happened. It was at the end of the school day. My son was with two friends, the bus was there and they ran to get it. The doorway was clear, there was no queue and one friend got on. My son just had his foot inside when the driver closed the door, trapping his foot.
“He was dragged for a few minutes, everyone on the bus was shrieking at the driver and cars were beeping their horns."
The driver of the E8 bus eventually jammed on the brakes after noticing the horrified passengers and motorists, leaving the boy with bruises, grazes and torn clothes.
His father added: “We were very, very lucky he wasn't hurt more seriously. If he'd fallen the other way he could've gone under the wheels. That doesn't bear thinking about.”
The family have reported the incident to the police and have had made a formal complaint to the bus company, Metroline.
A Metroline spokesman, said: “We’re aware of an incident where a passenger’s foot became trapped in a closing door as the bus was about to depart. We take such incidents very seriously, and a full investigation will be conducted.”
