Man took his dead mother home on bus

Man took his dead mother home on bus

Son wanted to get his mother home to Chorley after she died suddenly during day trip to Lancaster

After arriving at Preston bus station, the man pushed his dead mother in a wheelchair on to a bus for Chorley. Photograph: Alamy

A man took his mother's dead body on a 30-mile bus journey after she died during a day trip they had enjoyed together.

The 52-year-old man, who is thought to have learning difficulties, wanted to get his 88-year-old mother home when she died suddenly on a trip to Lancaster on Monday.

The woman, who has not been identified, is believed to have died on the bus on the journey back from Lancaster to Preston. Police said the woman's death was not being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman for Lancashire police said the woman's son did not know what to do. "He wanted to just get his mother home. It is just very tragic."

After arriving at Preston bus station, the man pushed his mother in her wheelchair off the bus and caught a second bus to Chorley. He got off the Stagecoach 125 service at Chorley at around 8.30pm on Monday.

Station staff and fellow passengers became suspicious and police were called as the man left the bus station with his mother in the wheelchair. CCTV footage was examined and the man was stopped by officers on Friday Street in the town.

Ambulance staff declared the woman dead at the scene.

The police spokesman said the death was deemed to be non-suspicious. "We spoke to a number of people at the time. We were there for several hours. This man has lost his mother and was struggling to know how to deal with it."

A fellow passenger on the bus to Chorley said he saw a security guard follow the man at Chorley interchange bus station.

He told the Lancashire Evening Post: "I was not paying attention, I did not realise until I got off the bus and the security guard was asking 'Does she need an ambulance? Is she OK?'.

"He just ran off along the bus station and the security guard chased after him. The bus driver was with him. I was shocked when I found out the lady was dead. I had not noticed but it was the security guard who said 'I think she has passed away'."