WORRIED parent Sandra Erskine has called for The Purbeck School to put adult supervisors on a school bus in a bid to stamp out rowdy behaviour.

The horrified mum-of-three claims the behaviour of children on the number 13 school bus service to Swanage has spiralled out of control with reports of abusive language, food fights, bullying and a violent assault.

She has now collected a petition, signed by more than 600 parents, which she presented to MP for South Dorset Jim Knight last week, demanding an adult supervisor is put on the bus to make the journey safer for the 200 pupils who use it every day.

"I am appalled to learn of the poor standards of behaviour of a handful of children that is making life so dangerous for the majority of pupils who should be able to travel to school in safety," the MP said.

"This situation has gone on for too long and I completely support the parents in their call for a supervisor to accompany the children on their journeys."

Mrs Erskine, 41, from Swanage, added that parents in the town are so concerned they have even volunteered to pay up to £1 each week to fund a supervisor.

"I need to know that my child is going to be safe going to school every day," she said. "If one of the children went out of control and something happened to the driver you would have a runaway bus."

Wilts & Dorset bus company is contracted by Dorset County Council to pick up and drop off more than 500 children from the Wareham school everyday.

A series of complaints from drivers about the behaviour of the children has led to talks with the local authorities about fitting the double-deckers with CCTV cameras.

Giles Sturdy, chairman of the board of governors for The Purbeck School, said something did need to be done to try and curb the children's behaviour.

He added: "I am aware that, from time to time, there are problems on a particular bus from Swanage and I think certainly there is a case for something to be done because I recognise that there is general parental concern about behaviour on the bus.

"It's either adults on the bus or CCTV. It's a bit much to expect the bus driver himself to cope with these sorts of problems."

Mr Sturdy said pupils at the school had been spoken to about the behaviour and it had quietened down in the last couple of weeks.

A spokesman for Wilts & Dorset said the company had received several complaints from drivers about the behaviour of children on the bus and favoured an adult supervisor being on board.

First published: October 25