INVESTIGATIONS are underway after a young schoolgirl was reportedly harassed by a man on board a bus in Larkfield.

The shocking incident is said to have happened on Wednesday when a man on the McGill’s 517 bus sat down next to a the lone girl and ‘rifled’ through her school bag.

Two eyewitnesses, who asked not to be named, said they intervened but were left petrified when the man threatened to stab both of them.

In a statement which has been widely circulated on the Larkfield Life Facebook page, one of the witnesses said: “At just before 9am on Wednesday morning I embarked on the Burns Square McGill’s bus and noted an individual who by all accounts was [a drug addict].

“At Berwick Road/Berwick Place bus-stop a small schoolgirl got on the bus wearing a school uniform.
“As the bus approached Burns Square, the gentleman wearing a green duffel coat with fur lined hood stood up and went to the driver to re-issue his bus card for the return journey back into town from Burns Square.

“At this point, he did not return to his seat but sat down next to the young schoolgirl.”
It was then that the man allegedly went through the child’s school bag.

The statement continued: “What happened was equally stunning and disgusting.
“This person proceeded to rifle through the schoolgirl’s bag looking presumably for either dinner money, packed lunch or god-knows what.

“He was challenged by myself and another witness on the bus at which point he stood up and threatened to ‘stab both of us’ whilst seeming to hold something in his pocket.”

Fearing for their lives, the witnesses claim they moved the little girl to the front of the bus and complained to the male bus driver about the incident.

The witness added: “Both myself and the other witness, fearing for our own safety, disembarked at Branchton bus stop only after other people joined the bus to accompany the young girl into town.

“It was clear the girl was shocked by the unwanted attention from this idiot and the invasion of her personal items.”

A spokeswoman from McGill’s Buses has confirmed the company is urgently looking into the alleged incident.

She said: “Our investigations are ongoing and we have been in touch with Larkfield Life in relation to the posting.

“We would like to speak directly to the witnesses to this incident, to obtain more information that would allow us to report the matter to the police. 

“Members of our inspector team have been assigned to the 517 route, should any passenger wish to speak directly to them about this incident or any other concerns that they may have.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to report it to Greenock police on 101.