A TEENAGE girl was left stranded in the rain late at night, after a bus driver refused to accept her fare in Middlewich.

Lauren Valtas, 17, was waiting for the number 37 Arriva bus near the Booth Lane skate park last Tuesday night with the correct fare, but was told she would not be allowed on because 60p of it was in two pence coins.

Lauren, who lives in Winsford, was trying to get a bus home from her boyfriend's house in Middlewich and was forced to wait an hour for the next bus after the money he lent her was rejected.

Lauren's mum, Sharon, explained: “When she went to get the 9.10pm bus it was raining and dark. Her fare was £3.10, she had two £1 coins, a 50p coin and 60p in 2ps. The driver was quite rude and refused to let her on the bus.

“I don’t have a car and it’s the only way she can get home. I was really, really worried and she was like a drowned rat when she got in – she was upset and said the driver was a horrible man.

“She hasn’t got a mobile – she is always losing things. She texted me off her boyfriend’s mobile [before she left], and when it got to about two hours later I was really worried and panicked.

“If that had been the driver’s own daughter or granddaughter, would he have let her on?

“I wouldn’t have thought it would happen here – what if someone had got hold of her, or if it had been the last bus? I knew that if she hadn’t got on the bus she had no way of contacting me.”

After walking to a nearby shop in the rain and changing up the money, Lauren was allowed to board the same bus – driven by the same man – an hour later.

Arriva has apologised for the incident, stating that customers should be allowed to travel if they have the correct money.

A spokesman said: “Whilst payment using a small number of coins is helpful to the driver, customers should be allowed to travel whatever combination of coins is used to make up the appropriate fare.

“If the lady concerned can contact Arriva Customer Services on 0344 800 4411 with full details of the service upon which she intended to travel, we will fully investigate. Meanwhile, we would ask her to accept our apologies for any inconvenience or embarrassment that may have been caused.”