THE family of an elderly woman who was taken ill on a bus have thanked the driver after he called out paramedics to help her.

Relatives of grandma Irene Jackson, aged 67, who sadly died, met up with Philip Rothwell to say thank you for his efforts.

Her granddaughter Kelly Roscoe, aged 24, who lives in Deane, managed to find Mr Rothwell through Facebook and spoke to him on the phone.

She said: “As a family we want to thank him and two other passengers, who we don't know the names of, so much for being with her.

“It means so much to us that someone was looking after her and she was not on her own. My nan always used to help people and it is so comforting to know that someone like Phil was there with her.

“We are a close family and were with her when she passed away.”

Mr Rothwell, from Westhoughton, was driving on Deepdale Road when he was alerted by a passenger to Mrs Jackson.

He immediately alerted the depot and paramedics were mobilised to the scene.

Mr Rothwell stopped the bus and went to Mrs Jackson, who had lost consciousness. Two other passengers also helped.

Mr Rothwell, aged 48, said: "I stayed with her, and put my arm around her and tried to make her comfortable until paramedics arrived.

"There was another lady who helped as well, who I would like to find. When the paramedics arrived I assisted them."

He added: "I was very overwhelmed and humbled when the family got in touch.

"Sadly she had passed away. When they phoned I was able to reassure them because it is hard when you have lost someone.

"Helping someone is something I would just do, it is about respect for other people.

Mrs Jackson, a popular member of the community, who used to work at C&A in Bolton, had been in Farnworth visiting family and shopping, before catching the bus back to her home in Breightmet when she fell ill just after 12.30pm.

She was not far from home when she was taken ill.

Miss Roscoe said: “She had three children, and five grandchildren, and had only just become a great-grandma to my little girl Ava Carruthers.

“She was very independent, she would go to Blackpool and she loved bingo.

“It is such a shock what has happened, and Phil said when he was with her she looked peaceful and it didn’t seem she suffered.”