TWO mums say they have been left 'petrified' after a man took a photo of their two-year-old daughters and grabbed one of the girls by the wrist, on a bus to Worcester.

Police and First Bus are investigating after Leanne Gardener and Katie Milton reported the incident, which took place on the 144 service from Fernhill Heath to Worcester bus station.

Miss Gardener, 24, says she and her friend Miss Milton, 22, and their daughters were sitting at the back of the bus, on the way to nursery in Worcester, when the incident happened.

She says the man was sitting next to them, along with two other men and a woman, when he "turned to the side, held his phone up and took a selfie".

She said: "I said to him 'What do you think you are doing?' He acted as if he couldn’t understand what I was saying. I then asked for him to delete the photos he had just taken, and I got a smirk and a 'sorry' from him.”

Miss Gardener said she grabbed her daughter and put her on her lap but as she attempted to pick up Miss Milton’s daughter, the man gripped on to the little girl’s arm before letting go.

She said they moved away from the man and his companions and warned the bus driver about the situation, which happened on February 3 at around 8.30am.

The mums say they have seen the same man and his companions on the bus since February 3, and so have now started getting an earlier service to avoid him.

“I feel petrified," said Miss Gardener. "I have been getting us up and out early for my daughter’s nursery so I don’t have to face him again.

“This man has a picture of our daughters on his phone. He grabbed an innocent two-year-old girl. What the hell is he going to do with this picture?

“As parents we shouldn’t have to fear leaving our homes because of monsters like this. They need stopping before it’s too late.”

Miss Milton added: “Since the incident I have been frightened of getting the bus on my own in fear I’ll see them again, which I have. Every time I catch the same bus for my daughter’s nursery they sit at the back with their heads down.

“I just want to know what they want with photos of our two young girls, why they have them on their phone? It makes me feel sick to my stomach.”

The mums say police told them the CCTV was not working on the bus that day.

Miss Gardener managed to take a photo of the three men as they were leaving the bus.

Rob Hughes, head of operations at bus company First Worcester, said: “We take all matters such as this seriously and we will do everything we can to help identify the alleged person involved.

“We would also advise, to all customers who travel with us, that if an incident should take place on a bus, they should always make our drivers aware, as they can either provide support, or if necessary seek assistance from the police or other support services.”

Miss Gardener said she had "put a complaint in to First Bus" about the CCTV apparently not working that day.

Police have confirmed the incident was reported at 9.30am on February 3.

A police spokesman said: “Police take these matters seriously and we are investigating the incident. If anyone has any information regarding this, please contact us on 101 using reference 151S 030220.”