Stagecoach South driver Edyta Kozlowska has been recognised across the company for what the operator called her “exceptional professionalism and humanity” after helping to rescue a missing three-year-old child found wandering close to a busy road.
Edyta, who joined Stagecoach South five months ago and has been a qualified bus driver for the past year and a half, was driving her regular route when she spotted the child near a bridge, darting between the pavement and the road. With traffic passing and no one intervening, Edyta said her immediate concern was the child’s safety.
Displaying calmness under pressure and a strong sense of responsibility, Edyta stopped her bus, and a passenger on board exited and was able to bring the child aboard, where Edyta ensured he was safe and comforted. She then contacted the police, informed the company’s Winchester depot, and arranged for her passengers to continue their journeys on the next bus, minimising disruption while managing the unfolding emergency. Police confirmed the boy had been reported missing earlier that morning.
“My first thought was just to keep him safe,” Edyta said. “Nobody else had stopped, and I kept thinking ‘what if he went onto the road or toward the railway tracks?’ As a mother of three myself, I imagined how his parents must be feeling. I was just happy I could help.”
Operations Manager at Stagecoach South Mark Jackson praised Edyta’s actions: “Edyta exemplifies everything we look for in a driver – professionalism, empathy, and quick thinking under pressure. She prioritised safety, acted decisively, and kept passengers informed and moving. Her response was outstanding.”
