A ROW led to a bus driver abandoning his bus in the middle of a road - holding up traffic for 30 minutes. The man left the Timeline Travel service blocking New Holder Street, off Spa Road, Bolton, after he clashed with a van driver while trying to turn from a depot. Motorists in both directions were left fuming until a supervisor arrived to move the bus.

But today Timeline defended the Asian driver's actions, alleging he was subjected to racist remarks.

Company operations administrator David Price said: "The incident started out as something very minor, but then the driver had to leave the bus to get help when it became unpleasant."

Problems began after the driver, heading for nearby Moor Lane bus station, tried turning into New Holder Street at 9am.

Eyewitnesses said the man could not manoeuvre around a van - and there was a row between the two drivers as each refused to reverse.

Michael Entwistle, 32, was one of several motorists delayed by the incident on Saturday. He said both men should have known better: "It was obvious that neither man wanted to budge, but the whole thing was very frustrating, inconvenient and unprofessional. It wasn't too bad for me because I was going to visit my grandfather, but another chap was on his way to a funeral."

But Mr Price said his driver was entitled to leave the bus if he felt under threat.

"I can understand other motorists being frustrated because I would be in the same position," he said. "But it's not as if there was a telephone on the bus he could use."

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