Bus passenger caught on camera eating the seat

A peckish passenger has been caught on camera causing £200-worth of damage to a bus - by eating his seat.

A CCTV image has been released of the unidentified man ‘chewing’ a seat on the Number 12 bus in the Torbay area, in Devon.

The man, who has dark hair and is of stocky build, was on the bus for around 20 minutes before he started tucking in to his unusual meal.

PC Gary Blee, of Torbay police, said: 'The male offender was on a number 12 bus in Paignton and has chewed the seat he was sitting on, causing around £200 of damage.'

He then proceeded to pick at the leather seat with his hand, making the hole even bigger.



Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened on May 25 just after 8pm.

A spokesman for bus firm Stagecoach said: 'It is obviously not a big incident in terms of the amount of damage, but it is odd.

'We are cooperating with the police and helping with their inquiries.'

Stagecoach's conditions of carriage instruct passengers to: 'Refrain from eating and drinking items which make the environment unpleasant for other customers or otherwise cause offence.'

The man was also breaking the rule that passengers should not 'deliberately damage or deface any part of the vehicle.'

Anybody who can help identify him can contact PC Blee by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 in confidence.