THE angry mother of a schoolgirl left in a coma after falling from the back of a moving bus has branded the sentence handed to the operator 'disgusting'.

Gemma Wilkes, 13, was sent tumbling on to Little Stanney Lane in Stoak, near Chester, as a GHA coach cornered a bend at 30mph.

A faulty seat tipped forward, forcing her to reach back to steady herself.

But she grabbed the emergency door lever and was pitched into the road.

Eifion Lloyd-Davies, 63, operator of GHA's 70 coaches, pleaded guilty to using a vehicle when its condition caused injury and was fined £2,500.

After Wednesday's hearing, Gemma's mother, Jackie Fairclough, of Lawnswood Grove, Elton, said: 'I'm gutted. £2,500 is disgusting.'

Ms Fairclough recalled the events of May 17 last year when a routine journey home from school turned into a horrific ordeal.

'When I got to the scene, there were six ambulances and police,' she said.

Cheshire Oaks High School pupil Gemma was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital, vomiting and drifting in and out of consciousness. It was discovered she had suffered a skull fracture.

The Mersey Tunnel was closed, at a cost of £54,000, to allow an ambulance to rush Gemma to intensive care at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool when doctors realised the seriousness of her condition.

Ms Fairclough continued: 'The barrier at Alder Hey was jammed when they got there so the ambulance drove straight through it.'

Gemma had four blood clots removed from her brain and woke from her coma a week later.

Her mother added: 'She still has a bald patch and suffers from short term memory loss. She's not the same. She's lost a lot of confidence.'

Faulty seat blamed for pupil's bus fall injury

BROKEN seat clips were a major factor in a schoolgirl falling from a bus and fracturing her skull, Chester magistrates heard.

When the 10-seater coach turned on to Little Stanney Lane near Cheshire Oaks, 13-year-old Gemma Wilkes' seat tipped forwards. She was thrown from the vehicle when she reached back, grabbing the lever of the fire exit and opening the door.

Eifion Lloyd-Davies, a 63-year-old self-trader from Wrexham, has owned GHA coaches for 15 years, operating 70 school and private hire minibuses.

Prosecuting, Simon Schwarz said: 'There were obvious attempts to repair which were only effective on a temporary basis.

'From March 2004 to January 2006, defects were found on the emergency door nine times and three inspections from February to April last year uncovered loose rear seats.'

Mr Lloyd-Davies denied his mechanics failed in their duty, saying: 'I have every confidence in the fitters to do their work.'

A problem with Gemma's seat base went unnoticed by daily inspections by the driver.

Defending, Andrew Woolfall said: 'He accepts there's been a failure at some point. Either a mechanic has not done their job properly or the driver failed to inspect properly.'

District Judge Nicholas Sanders concluded: 'Inspection fell far short of what was necessary.

'GHA failed to protect the safety of Gemma Wilkes.'