Bradford ‘hero’ bus driver prevented child from being kidnapped

Mr Copley, a bus driver of 19 years, had stopped his vehicle in the city centre when he saw the child disembark, followed by an adult male passenger who was behaving suspiciously.

He saw the man put his arms around the boy’s shoulder and force him to walk towards an alleyway. He noticed that the child looked frightened as he looked back towards the bus.

Mr Copley left the cab and asked the boy if he knew the man, who claimed that they were travelling together. When the boy said he did not, the driver challenged the man, who ran off.

He took the child back onto the bus and called police, then chased after the man, cornering him down an alleyway and directing officers to the location.

Within 10 minutes, West Yorkshire Police had made an arrest and they later charged the suspect with attempted kidnap of a minor. However, at court the case was discontinued.

The boy was also reunited with his mother soon after the incident.

Mr Copley has five children and some of them started taking the bus to school this September.

He said: “I like to think that the drivers will be looking out for them.”

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