Spitting, threats and swearing are just some of the things a bus driver says he has to put up with from passengers while driving from Oxford Circus to Ilford.

Tom Mckerr, of Gidea Park, has been driving the number 25 for the past two years and features in BBC2 documentary Route Masters.

He said that at first he did not want to be included on the documentary and it was only when he gave the film crew a lift home he ended up being included.

He said often when people cannot pay, or do not want to, they become abusive.

“I have been threatened and spat at many times, with threats to beat me up and stab me. I’ve been sworn at in a number of languages but it’s just a minority.

“It’s nice when the public are leaving the bus and say ‘thank you driver’,” he added. “It makes you feel good when they acknowledge you.”