I, too, have been appalled by the behaviour of young children travelling on our public transport (Letters, October 19).

As a pensioner attending a day course at Varndean College, I recently caught a No 5B bus used by schoolchildren from two local secondary schools and witnessed first-hand their total lack of consideration for drivers or fellow passengers.

The first time I used this bus, I was moved to remonstrate with two young girls travelling on the top deck who were trying to stamp on each other's feet.

I'm used to young people and spoke without unpleasantness: "Please, girls, think of our driver. We don't want him to lose his concentration with all of us on the bus - stop stamping."

This was met with an instant, very hostile reaction, not just from the two girls.

It spread to the surrounding children (Midwich Cuckoos?), who were outraged that I had had the temerity to ask them to modify their actions.

They all started stamping. Realising my intervention had escalated the anti-social behaviour, I went downstairs to apologise to the driver, who said: "This journey is a nightmare but speaking to them makes it worse."

I continued my journey on a downstairs seat but, when the young girls left the bus in London Road, they banged on the windows close to my face in the most intimidating way.

They caused upset to a toddler travelling in a pushchair, whose mother had to calm him.

She said she had recently returned from abroad, where such behaviour would not be tolerated.

Children there are taught to inter-relate socially and to respect older people.

I feel very ashamed and despairing that such behaviour should be tolerated and have chosen to walk rather than use the bus this week.

-Kaye Lynch, Vernon Terrace, Brighton