Praise for driver, but questions over shooting

MAY I through your column praise and thank the driver of the X59 bus to Skipton on Monday morning who kept control of the vehicle under shocking circumstances, thus avoiding swerving into oncoming traffic on a busy main road.

After halting at the Blubberhouses stop, he approached the bottom of Kexgill when the passengers heard a loud crack and saw shattered glass fall on to the floor. A pheasant had flown up from nearby land on the left and smashed into the windscreen, top right of the driver. Then we noticed a shooter standing on the farm track as the bus driver proceeded up Kexgill to the safety of the nearest lay-by, his priority being the passengers.

The driver organised a replacement bus while we wiped his bleeding face and removed glass splinters embedded near his eye. The corpse of the unfortunate bird was still lodged in this windscreen and was removed along with the bus for further investigation, as the passengers continued aboard a replacement bus driven by another reassuring, helpful driver.

While being extremely grateful to the Harrogate bus team, the passengers were asking themselves should shooters really be allowed to pursue their mindless activity so close to a busy main road?