‘I’m no heroine’ insists driver who went to aid of passenger

Modest heroine: Yellow Buses’ driver Sue Levell is presented with a bouquet of flowers by grateful passenger Colin Perry watched by Dave Taylor, Supervisor, and Fiona Harwood, Marketing Sales Manager.

A Yellow Buses’ driver hailed as a heroine after going to the rescue of a passenger who was suffering a mini-stroke has insisted: “I did nothing special.”

Sue Levell was presented with a bouquet of flowers by grateful passenger Colin Perry, 66, who said her quick-thinking response had been “text book first aid.”

“She kept me calm while acting as the link with the ambulance service. I can’t thank Sue enough. She’s a heroine in my eyes,” said Mr Perry.

The grandfather, who served as a medic in the armed forces for 36 years, was travelling on Yellow Buses’ route 4 in Bournemouth when he fell ill.

He summoned help from Sue when the journey terminated at Castlepoint. She kept him calm and comfortable until the ambulance arrived.

Mr Perry, who had previously suffered three mini-strokes, was initially taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital before being transferred to Southampton.

He spent eight days in hospital before being allowed home and is now due to undergo a triple heart bypass at a London hospital.

“Sue was just brilliant. What she did was text book first aid in keeping the patient calm and comfortable until expert help arrives” said Mr Perry who lives in Bournemouth.

He added: “Bus drivers are in the front-line and get a lot of stick which is why I wanted to single out Sue, in particular, and say thank you.”

Sue, who joined Yellow Buses as a driver three years ago after previously serving as a borough councillor in Bournemouth for 12 years, said: “It’s very kind of Colin but I don’t think I did anything special.

“I love being a driver and meeting members of the public. No day is ever the same and you’re never quite sure what it will bring.”

Dave Taylor, Yellow Buses’ Supervisor, said: “We’re proud to have Sue as a member of our team.

“She reacted very well when Mr Perry was taken ill and it’s good to see her actions have been recognised.”

 

About Yellow Buses: Yellow Buses operates a fleet of 140 buses and 16 coaches with more than 410 staff.

The company carries just under 15m passengers a year with its vehicles operating nearly five million miles across the Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset area.

Yellow Buses is part of RATP Group, the world’s fifth largest public transport provider.