Children in Blackpool putting their lives at risk

Both were captured by cameras on board buses in the resort – just hours apart.

One shows two boys stealing money after luring a driver off his vehicle by opening an emergency exit at the back, while the second shows a young girl hitting the ground after falling while ‘bus surfing’ in Central Drive.

She was seen limping off after a car narrowly avoided hitting her.

Both incidents happened on Monday, the same day drivers reported a gang of 10 youths trying to cling to the back of buses as part of the dangerous craze.

Karen Cooper, from Blackpool Transport, said: “We want children to understand the implications of their behaviour, not just for themselves but other customers and road users.

They need to realise they are endangering their lives and committing a criminal offence.”

The uniformed boys who grabbed at the cash tray escaped with just £1 in change, after the driver’s ‘quick thinking and professionalism’ meant he had already emptied most of his tray before leaving his cab at around 3pm in St Annes Road, South Shore, Blackpool Transport said.

Their school will now be contacted, as well as police.

Transport chiefs have also expressed concern about the girl who fell while bus surfing in Central Drive, close to the George pub, shortly before 8.30pm the same night.

Footage from the bus shows two others clinging on to the back of the vehicle as she hits the ground.

Similar incidents, described by one witness as ‘crazy’, have been reported in Church Street and Talbot Road in recent months.

‘Three attacks every week’

An average of three attacks every week are now being carried out on buses across the resort, leading to delays on services and expensive repair bills, The Gazette revealed back in October.

In one case, a passenger was showered with shards of glass, while one projectile reportedly just missed a mum and baby.

A month later, two number nine buses were put out of action in one night after windows were broken, while the 8pm number six service from Talbot Road was cancelled as recently as Wednesday due to bad behaviour.

Lessons are being held at schools in the town to try and tackle the problem.