Bus plea after teenager mugged

A WORRIED parish councillor is demanding the return of late-night buses after a teenager was viciously mugged on a lonely country road.

The sixteen-year-old boy was walking home to Denshaw from Delph at 10.15pm when he was attacked by four men and allegedly hit over the head with an iron bar.

After stealing his wallet and mobile phone, his assailants fled in a car. The boy was treated for a head wound.

Now, backed by concerned mothers, parish councillor Ken Hulme has written to Greater Manchester Police seeking the force’s support for a return of late-night buses between Delph, Denshaw and Uppermill.

In a letter to Insp Danny Milovanovic, of Saddleworth and Lees neighbourhood policing team, Councillor Hulme said:“ I have just been contacted by a parent of a couple of teenage boys in Denshaw who know the injured boy.

“She is really concerned about the lack of public transport into Denshaw from Uppermill or Delph in the evenings.

“And, along with them, I will be seeking to reconnect Denshaw with the outside world at night through a bus service.

“We know only too well through this and other incidents that Denshaw carries a lot of ‘criminal’ traffic on its roads.

“This incident has certainly spurred me and a few other local residents to start lobbying again for a decent evening bus service to Denshaw — for the sake of our children’s safety as much as anything.”

“The victim could have been bleeding heavily and things could have got even more serious.”

Councillor Hulme, the father of a teenage son, added:“ Denshaw has become a road junction since they stopped the night bus service. We have to ensure all children can arrive home safely.”

The concerned Denshaw mothe- of-four said: “The village is not treated fairly. We definitely need a return to late-night buses.

“As it is, the bus service ceases in the early evening which makes us very worried about our children’s future safety.”

She added: “We lost our only shop and post office earlier this year so people have to travel out of the village.”

Insp Milovanovic said: “I understand there are concerns about the public transport available between Delph and Denshaw.

“I am planning a meeting with our partners to discuss how we can seek to resolve these concerns, but in the meantime, I would ask people to take care when they are out and about.

“I would urge anyone who is out on their own late at night keeps themselves safe by keeping to well-lit areas where possible or arranges a safe form of transport.”