General Chat

A week ago the school bus was in which my grandson and other schoolmates were travelling was stopped and attacked by a group of Asian Youths brandishing baseball bats and knives This group started to bang on the windows and trying to board the bus. all the time making gestures showing that they were going to cut some of the childrens throats Whilst the bus driver radioed for help my grandson along with one of his friends made all the younger terrified children go upstairs on the bus out of the way. Then he and some more of the year 11 pupils stood on the platform and stairs to form a barrier. The police arrived and the Asians speed off in their car one of the girls on the bus had the foresight to write the number down When it was time for Michael to get off the bus there were 7 very terrified young girls who were also getting off Michael then asked them were they lived and walked home with them all to make sure they were safe Some parents contacted the school as did the bus driver and the poli ce to praise Michael and his friend Andrew for their actions At the end of the month they are going to get a bravery award When I praised him for what he had done he just said "Oh it was nothing Gran I just did what I had to do to help" Bren in Oldham

Brenda, What a courageous young man your grandson must be. I know people twice his age who would not have acted as selflessly as Michael did. He deserves a medal!

Brenda - you must be very proud - not just of your grandson, but of his parents for bringing him up so well! Maz. XX

How lovely to hear this. Two of my children are teenagers and I know they and their friends would help anybody. You should be very proud.

bren,glad no one was hurt and your gran son's help will be rewarded. It is a shame when children can not even go to school without fear . brenda

bren,glad no one was hurt and your gran son's help will be rewarded. It is a shame when children can not even go to school without fear . brenda

To Maz According to all statistics Michael should by now be a teenage tearaway He lives in a council house on the edge of an estate that in the centre is well known for its crime and drug culture He is in a one parent family(although not on benefits )his parents are divorced He should be into stealing cars and joy riding , a poor achiever and attender at school In reality he is expected to get good grades in the 8 Gcse's that he is taking He goes to the youth club , plays football and on Saturdays he referrees for an under 10's mini league football team Bren

Bren - Well done that boy.

Brenda Your grandson is in a majority not a minority, but it is the minority who get all the publicity. My daughter is 17 and when she goes out dresses as a "goth", black clothes, long black hair, dark make up etc. She has to put up with name calling from the "trendies" at school, who call her a "dirty f******g goth. She loves heavy rock music, Marilyn Manson etc. On the other hand, she plays flute, piccolo, saxophone in the school band. Has grade 7 singing and is a brilliant soprano (Ok i'm biased) but I'm not the only one to say so. How many of the name callers are spoken to by the headmaster by first name and congratulated on their performance after a school concert She also listens to Classic FM at home and on her walkman. The motto being, don't put people in boxes. Take people as you find them. Again, I congratulate your grandson. Margaret

Well done Michael and Andrew. It's lovely to hear such a proud Nan.

Brenda Great to hear this, You are right to be proud.... You too margaret. It's true that the vast majority of young people are fine. My daughter is 16 and she and all her friends are great. It's a small minority that ruin things for the rest but "twas ever thus". Bob

well done to your grandson you must be very proud of him lou

Brenda He sounds like a fine young man and is to be congratulated on his behaviour. Margaret I also have a "goth"who is now 21 and has been "goth" for about 7 years, since her first attendance at the Whitby Goth Festival with older cousins. On her first visit I delivered and collected her, it was quite an experience being in the midst of all these elaborately made up young people. My lasting impression was of how pleasant, polite and friendly they all were and that impression lasts to this day. I must say that your daughter sounds delightful - mine is into clarinet and saxophone - and you are so right - it's what's inside that counts, and I think to be different from the crowd shows tremendous strength of character and I really admire any person who can stand out and not be afraid to be original. Jane

bren you must be so proud. xxx but WHAT!! is this country coming to when our own children are now being attacked in their own country?? on their school bus??with knives???

I agree with you Bren, teenagers get a bad press. I have 3 teenage sons, believe me they have their moments but they are not bad, far from it. There are many supposedly adults who wouldn't have done what your Michael did. My eldest son's school bus was shot at by someone with an air rifle, same town as you know Bren, luckily no one was hit but very shaken up. Don't blame any parent for driving their kids to and from school, do it myself when I can. Shocking that we have to in order to keep our kids safe.

Well done to Brenda's Grandson. What a star. A lot of these thugs are bullies - and do not expect people to stand up to them. They lack "gumption". They think they are hard, and could have been out to "impress". Nothing gives anybody the right to terrorise anybody, although, If it had happened to them, I bet their parents would have had a heck of a lot to say. Liz