A SCHOOL bus driver was attacked by a group of former pupils who snuck onto a bus at Cumnock Academy last week.

The driver who is in his 50s was knocked to the ground and kicked by the gang as he was loading secondary school children onto buses headed for Catrine and Auchinleck.

The thugs then attacked two current pupils which left one requiring treatment at hospital on Tuesday, August 18.

The driver who works for Auchinleck company Liddell’s Coaches was said to have been badly shook up after the ordeal.

Furious owner Jim Liddell told the Chronicle: “The driver was loading the bus with half of the kids from Catrine and half from Auchinleck.

“He got out of his seat and was checking the Catrine pupils, I don’t know how many boys there were but they just got up ran out the bus and ran over the top of the driver, they weren’t school kids.

“They kicked him when he was on the ground and when he came back up he got smashed in the face.

“He was really shaken up as you would be, but he just picked himself up and got on with things.”

Jim is calling on East Ayrshire Council to protect his drivers at the school.

He added: “There needs to be more supervision.

“We have 10 buses getting loaded at a time, it’s up to the head teacher Peter Gilchrist to sort it out one man simply can’t do that.

“I’ve pointed it out to East Ayrshire Council, and they are ignoring me, it’s totally inadequate supervision – they are not doing their job.”

East Ayrshire Council confirmed there was an incident involving a former pupil on a bus.

A spokesperson for East Ayrshire Council said: “There was an assault on a pupil, by a former pupil on a bus. This was immediately dealt with by Police Scotland.”

We told how parents were concerned over fighting at the school since pupils returned from lockdown.

A council spokesperson added: “Any young person who is involved in disrespecting or showing aggression towards another will take part in normal school processes including parental contact and restorative conversations between those involved.”

Police have confirmed they are making enquiries after the report of an alleged assault.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police received report of an alleged assault at Cumnock Academy around 3.45pm on Tuesday, August 18. 2020. Enquiries are ongoing."