BUS company bosses are acting to ensure a misunderstanding which saw a mother charged for her three-year-old boy on a bus is not repeated.

Ellen Davidson took the three youngest of her six children on Stagecoach's 20 service on Thursday, returning from a nursery in Haughton, Darlington.

With one-year-old Kyle strapped to her side, she got on the bus with Jordan, three, and Duane, two, and showed her pass. She was shocked when the driver asked her to pay for Jordan, because the under-fives free travel rule only covered two children.

Mrs Davidson, from Darlington, said the journey was one she made with the trio every day and she had never been asked to pay before.

"I think it's an absolute disgrace," she said.

But Madi Pilgrim, operations director of Stagecoach, said last night: "There has obviously been some misunderstanding. There is no limit on the number of children under-five. The policy remains the same."

Ms Pilgrim said she would ensure depot staff made drivers aware of the policy, and said she would be contacting Mrs Davidson.