Bradford driver awarded for saving child from kidnap

A Bradford bus driver from First Bus has won an award at the National Transport Awards for preventing a boy from being snatched by a mystery man.

David Copley’s quick thinking saved the boy from being snatched by a mystery man while he was driving in Bradford in October last year.

Last year, David, who has been a First Bus driver for 19 years, came to a stop in Bradford city centre when a man put his arms firmly around a child’s shoulders who was disembarking from the bus and made him walk towards an alleyway. David got out of the cab and asked the child if he knew the man, which he didn’t. David challenged him to let go of the boy, led him back to the bus and called the police. The man ran off.

While on the phone to the police, David chased the suspect down the alleyway. David gave directions on the phone while in pursuit and the police attended and made an arrest within approximately ten minutes.

He returned to the bus to find the boy crying but now safe with his mother. “It was a big relief for me to see.” Later that day the police contacted David to tell him the man was being charged with attempted kidnapping of a minor.

David has five children and some started taking the bus to school this September but says he doesn’t think of himself as hero: “I like to think that the drivers will be looking out for them.”

“Helping customers, especially children and vulnerable passengers is really important because we (drivers) have a duty of care” – David Copley, First Bus driver

Commenting on winning the award, David said: “This is one for all bus drivers. They do so much every day that passengers might not notice.

“Helping customers, especially children and vulnerable passengers is really important because we (drivers) have a duty of care.”

First Bus North & West Yorkshire has now become a supporter of the NSPCC in the region and its Listen Up, Speak Up campaign to highlight how everyone can help to safeguard children from abuse.