AN angry striking bus driver staged a one-man sit down protest today at a Bolton depot after transport chiefs attempted to drive a bus out of the station.

Alan Broughton, a First Manchester worker from Eccles, sat down in the middle of the company's private road at the back of the Crook Street bus depot.

And, despite threats of legal action from his angry bosses, he remained there for 30 minutes from 9.25am today.

He moved when the bus was driven back into the garage.

But unknown to him, the managers darted to a bus at the front of the depot and drove away in that instead.

Mr Broughton, who sat in the rain while bosses and police debated the action to take, was insistent he had done the right thing.

He said: "So far the only buses which have left the depot were for school services but by driving out a bus intended for day service, I felt the company had stepped up their half of the fight.

"I decided that if they were going to do that, then I would too. I believe we have to do a little more because we do not appear to be getting very far."

The bus was due to be taken to Farnworth to be put into operation on the 501 service where passengers were being picked up for free as a goodwill gesture.

The action was not supported by the Transport and General Workers Union, which yesterday voted by a 95 per cent majority to reject the latest pay offer. Another strike will be held on Monday.