A YOUNG disabled woman who was refused entry to a bus because she was in a mobility scooter says that ordeal robbed her of her dignity.

Sam Jones, 25, went to catch the 32A bus from Old Liverpool Road in Sankey Bridges at around 1pm on Monday, February 6.

When the bus arrived at the stop outside the Coach and Horses pub, the driver told her the she would not be allowed to board in her mobility scooter.

The Latchford resident, who has cauda equina syndrome which causes her to experience chronic pain, said: "I'm a full-time wheelchair user anyway but I've injured my wrist and elbow so I went to borrow a mobility scooter from Warrington Disability Partnership.

"The bus turned up but the driver said I couldn't come on in the mobility scooter.

"I questioned him why and he just said it was to do with the centre of gravity of the mobility scooter, so I had to transfer into my chair which caused me a lot of pain as I had to put weight on to my bad arm.

"Once I'd transferred into my manual wheelchair my fiancé had to push the mobility scooter on to the bus.

"When we got to the bus interchange we asked to speak to a manager, but they said it was just part of their policy."

In a high profile case last month, the Supreme Court ruled that disabled bus users are legally entitled to the priority of wheelchair spaces.

Ms Jones, of Poachers Lane, added: "The bus was nearly full so I was quite taken aback and I felt like all my dignity had been lost.

"If I hadn't had the wheelchair there's no way I would have been able to get home.

"It was like my independence had been taken away from me.

"I'm like anybody else but I have mobility problems so I should have the same rights as anyone else."

A spokesman for Network Warrington said: "In these circumstances we prefer to deal with complainants directly and establish the facts prior to undertaking an investigation and a response.

"Therefore it would be more appropriate for Sam Jones to contact us directly."

Ms Jones says that she sent a letter of complaint to Network Warrington last week but has not yet received a response.