A disabled ex-serviceman who fell on a bus days after a hip replacement has hit out at the company's treatment.

Graham Card is appealing for witnesses to come forward after the incident on the 2.20pm S1 bus from St Peter’s Street in St Albans on April 25.

The 59-year-old was travelling home after going into town to pick up an emergency prescription 11 days after his fifth hip replacement.

Mr Card, who served in Northern Ireland between 1976 and 1994, said: "I had been out of hospital nearly two weeks and needed to get into town to get painkillers.

"When I got on the bus, the driver could tell I was disabled and I sat directly behind him in the priority seats.

"After I pressed the button at St Luke's bus stop for the stop in Cell Barnes Lane, I waited for it to stop before getting up.

"The bus stopped and the doors opened and as I tried to get out of my seat and then the driver shot forward and I fell onto an elderly foreign couple sat to the left of me.

"It all happened so quickly, but then everyone shouted for the bus driver to stop so he slammed his foot on the brakes which threw me to the right onto the floor."

Mr Card, of Cell Barnes Close, said the driver must have seen him sitting behind him and should have taken that into account.

He added: "In my experience, when there has been a disabled person on the bus, the bus driver would make an effort to wait for them to get off the bus.

"There must have been three or four others on the bus, and I would love for them to come forward."

Mr Card said the incident left him concerned that the elderly couple he fell onto had also been injured.

He is calling for CCTV cameras to be installed in the buses.

James Thorpe, managing director of Uno Buses Ltd, said: "This case has been reported to us through Herts County Council and is currently being investigated.

"I would like to reassure our passengers that we take their safety extremely seriously.

"Uno conducts a rigorous programme of driving standards checks and this is reflected in our excellent safety record."

He added that reported incidents were "investigated fully" and customers were encouraged to speak to their driver or contact the company on 01707 255764 or unobus@herts.ac.uk if they have any safety concerns.