The distraught family of a young boy feared he may be left needing surgery after he was flung from his seat on the bus home from school, injuring his face.

Theo Cook, three, was left bleeding when the driver of a bus “slammed on the brakes” while he was travelling home from school with his mum Kayli Bristow on Monday afternoon.

The youngster and his mum got on the bus at The Pastures in High Wycombe at around 3.40pm and say the driver braked suddenly when they were travelling along Hithercroft Road – forcing Theo off his seat and underneath the one in front.

The boy was left bleeding from a cut below his eye – and his grandmother Maxine Winter said he is lucky the injury was not worse.

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press on Wednesday, she said: “We spent three and a half hours at Wycombe Hospital on Monday and yesterday we spent the morning at Stoke Mandeville because they thought he may need plastic surgery – luckily he doesn’t.

“Theo has been left scared of buses and doesn’t want to go on them any more – but he has to use one every day to go to school.”

Maxine said the Arriva bus driver did not help or apologise when Theo was injured – instead another person on the bus gave Kayli a tissue and the bus driver let them off the bus.

She said: “The driver didn’t apologise, he didn’t even speak to Kayli. He never offered to give her any help. All he did was let her off the bus with a bleeding child and lots of shopping. Luckily I live in Downley so I was nearby, otherwise I don’t know what Kayli would have done.

“Theo is going to be scarred for life – but he is lucky it wasn’t in his eye otherwise it could have been much worse.”

Simon Finnie, area MD for Arriva Midlands South, said: “We can confirm we had an incident on board our 30 service on the afternoon of April 27 during which a young passenger was injured.

“We logged all accident information as is protocol, and will be undertaking a thorough investigation of the matter. Following this, we will undertake any disciplinary action or retraining should it be deemed appropriate or required.

“The safety of our passengers is of paramount importance to us and we take such incidents incredibly seriously. We sincerely apologise for the distress caused to the family involved and hope that the child has a swift recovery.”