A LEIGH hero bus driver, whose quick thinking saved a pensioner from a mugger, has been hailed a knight of the road.

Eagle-eyed Michael Bennett was driving in Bolton town centre when he spotted 74-years-old Mrs Kathy Harwood being followed.

He stopped his vehicle, called her aboard and drove her away from the scene.

A driver of 14 years Mr Bennett's identity was revealed by his wife, Jacqueline, after an appeal to find him was published in our sister paper, the Bolton Evening News.

She said: "He is very modest, but a real good Samaritan."

Mr Bennett, of Hanover Street, was driving his number 519 Johnson Fold bus through Bolton at 10.30am when he saw a suspicious character following great grandmother Mrs Harwood.

He said: "I was at the traffic lights and I just knew he was looking at her bag. These sort of people stand out like a sore thumb. I pulled up at her side and called her onto the bus. I thought nothing of it."

Mrs Harwood said she had sensed someone following her but had not looked round.

It was only when she got on his bus that Mr Bennett told her what had happened and took her a safe distance away before dropping her off.

She said: "He is a true knight of the road.

"I believe this is not his only good deed. He once found a woman's purse on his bus and phoned her up to arrange to meet her at the bus stop to return it."