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| National Express 'journey from hell' says Devon passenger | National Express 'journey from hell' says Devon passenger |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A National Express coach driver led passengers on a "horrific and abusive" journey from Heathrow to Exeter, a passenger has said. | A National Express coach driver led passengers on a "horrific and abusive" journey from Heathrow to Exeter, a passenger has said. |
| She said the driver did an emergency stop on the M5, swore at passengers and arrived two hours late. | She said the driver did an emergency stop on the M5, swore at passengers and arrived two hours late. |
| Former deputy head teacher Beth Lees, 50, from Exeter, said: "It was a journey from hell." | Former deputy head teacher Beth Lees, 50, from Exeter, said: "It was a journey from hell." |
| National Express said the driver had been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. | National Express said the driver had been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. |
| Ms Lees, who had flown in from a holiday in Athens, said the coach arrived more than two hours late at 21:10 BST on Saturday. | Ms Lees, who had flown in from a holiday in Athens, said the coach arrived more than two hours late at 21:10 BST on Saturday. |
| She said the driver was "clearly in a bad mood" and was "grumpy and moaning". | She said the driver was "clearly in a bad mood" and was "grumpy and moaning". |
| After getting onto the M5 they came off soon afterwards and "for an hour-and-a-half we roamed the countryside". | After getting onto the M5 they came off soon afterwards and "for an hour-and-a-half we roamed the countryside". |
| She said: "He was clearly lost. A couple of ladies went up and said he was going the wrong way. He was saying '... off, it's my ....... coach, I'm ..... driving it." | She said: "He was clearly lost. A couple of ladies went up and said he was going the wrong way. He was saying '... off, it's my ....... coach, I'm ..... driving it." |
| At one point, she said the driver was "trying to force someone off the coach in the middle of nowhere". | At one point, she said the driver was "trying to force someone off the coach in the middle of nowhere". |
| Some passengers offered to help the driver with directions and she said it "was getting quite scary". | Some passengers offered to help the driver with directions and she said it "was getting quite scary". |
| More news and stories from Devon | More news and stories from Devon |
| When they got back onto the M5 an alarm started. | When they got back onto the M5 an alarm started. |
| "Eventually he slammed on his brakes and veered onto the hard shoulder," she said. | "Eventually he slammed on his brakes and veered onto the hard shoulder," she said. |
| The coach pulled into Exeter at 01:40 BST and Ms Brewer told the driver she had "never been on such an appalling journey". | The coach pulled into Exeter at 01:40 BST and Ms Brewer told the driver she had "never been on such an appalling journey". |
| National Express said it was concerned to hear the complaints and was investigating them as a priority. | National Express said it was concerned to hear the complaints and was investigating them as a priority. |
| It said all reports of unacceptable behaviour were taken very seriously. | It said all reports of unacceptable behaviour were taken very seriously. |
| Passengers had been given a complimentary ticket at Heathrow because of the delays, it said. | |
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