A BUS driver has been praised after helping to save a Yate woman’s life on four separate occasions.

James Mills has come to the aid of frequent customer Rachael Jay when she has suffered seizures on his bus on four separate occasions.

Rachael, who is 46 and suffers from epilepsy and Type 1 diabetes, thanked the First West of England driver for his quick-thinking.

“I want to thank James for being so brilliant and acting so quickly when I have suffered attacks on the bus,” she said. “Living with epilepsy and diabetes can really affect your lifestyle and for James to have presence of mind and to act so swiftly on all those occasions really helped.”

Rachael regularly travels on the Y2 service between Bristol and Yate. The pair met at Marlborough bus station in Bristol for Rachael to thank James personally.

Driver James, aged 27, from Little Stoke, has had to call for an ambulance on four occasions for Rachael when she has been suffering an epileptic seizure or hypoglycaemia caused by low blood sugar.

This has happened once in Downend, once in Coalpit Heath and twice in Yate, and each time James stayed by Rachael’s side until paramedics arrived.

Rachael has since had her medication changed and her condition is more under control, but she wanted to thank James in person as well as raise awareness of the effects of epilepsy and diabetes and how it can affect everyday life.

Chris Hanson, head of operations for First West of England, said: “We are very proud of James, who responded as we would hope all our colleagues would do in the same or similar circumstances. We are really touched that Rachael has taken the trouble to recognise James for his actions.”