A woman with a dislocated knee was left crying and in pain when a drunken thug kicked her leg on a bus while other passengers looked away.

Anna Brown, 21, was travelling home on the 50a service from Churchill Square, Brighton, and sat with her leg partly in the aisle.

A passenger who got on at the Open Market kicked it before yelling: "Move your f***ing leg."

Miss Brown, of Springfield Road, Brighton, said: "It jarred all the way up my leg.

"It was horrible and the worst part was no one did anything.

"Only my little sister shouted at him that I couldn't move it as it was broken. Everyone else looked away.

"The bus was at a stop and the driver would have heard it but he just pulled away and carried on. I was in tears I was so upset."

Miss Brown, who reported the incident to police, said the man was clearly drunk, adding: "I know it is difficult as you can't refuse to let people on because they are a bit drunk but there should be some kind of security.

"Maybe they should reintroduce conductors."

Kate Morrison, from Brighton, a reporter for The Argus, saw a gang of youths attack a man on a bus travelling down Ditchling Rise into the city centre last Friday evening.

She said: "About 20 kids aged about14 got on and started jumping up and down, singing football songs and banging windows.

"They weren't being aggressive but incredibly noisy.

"A man in his 40s got on and after a minute stood up and shouted at them to shut up.

"They jeered at him and he went over to confront them and about six girls went for him, slapping him and grabbing him. Eventually he backed away and got off the bus."

Roger French, managing director of the Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said security was a priority.

There had been a sharp decrease in antisocial behaviour and violence since £400,000 was spent installing CCTV cameras between 2000 and 2003.

He said drivers were given the authority to exercise common sense in dealing with trouble makers.

There are two teams of supervisors at all times ready to meet buses and deal with any incidents if summoned by drivers, and police will also be alerted if necessary.

Mr French said: "We are very sorry to hear about what happened to Anna.

"If she had reported it to the driver at the time he would have made sure supervisors or police came to deal with her assailant."