A bus driver had a woolier than usual passenger on Sunday after she picked up a sheep which had got onto the A27.
Martine Patey was driving a rail replacement bus from Brighton to Eastbourne when she saw a coach stopped with its hazards on near the Braypool Lane junction.
Then, a “flash of white” ran out from behind it into the road, causing havoc for passing cars.
Animal lover Martine immediately decided to pull over, put on her high-vis and attempt to help the lost sheep out of the road and into safety.
She said: “The sheep was running all over the road. It was difficult to catch, but then it slipped just in front of me and I was able to get hold of it and to use my handbag strap like a lasso.
“Two other motorists had stopped to help and together we were able to hold onto it until the police arrived.”
The sheep had a brief trip up onto the bus, with the police asking Martine to take it back to a local farm, before the farmer arrived and it was safely returned to his truck.
Martine then resumed her journey to Eastbourne where she arrived only one minute late.
Amazing work Martine; shame though it didnt get off the stop at Raystede Animal Santuary
Hi-Vis doesn’t save you. It only makes you stand out. This is probably in the news as she was given a warning about a non-paying fare and in this new light, likely turned over the decision.
Based on a true story of a bus driver saving a sheep on the A27 last February, a children’s book entitled ‘The Lost Lamb’ has been published on Amazon. This book was written by John Collings, a local playwright from Eastbourne, and illustrated by Amelia Lee, an illustrator from Worthing. John, a published playwright and winner of The Steyning Playwrighting Festival judged by Sir Arnold Wesker, said that after hearing about the incident, he decided to write a children’s book about it. “I thought to myself, ‘What was a sheep wandering about on the road for, being narrowly missed by the cars? Perhaps the sheep was looking for her lost lamb hence the title.” As the story goes on, the bus driver puts the sheep onto her bus and sets off to find the lamb, who they spot sat on top of an old shire horse, who had kindly offered to help the lamb find his mother. After the bus had safely loaded the little lamb and sheep onto her bus, the adventure begins. To find out what happens next, please buy a copy of the book.