THE mother who reported her 12-year-old son to the police for bus-surfing has said she is ashamed by his unrepentant attitude.

Catherine Malone has vowed to call in the police again if son Marcus tries the dangerous stunt again.

The news comes as Arriva demonstrated new safety measures it has fitted to its buses to stop youngsters jumping onto the back of vehicles to cling on for as long as possible.

Arriva also gave Ms Malone a month’s worth of travel vouchers to thank her for reporting her son to the police after The Northern Echo printed a picture of the Longfield School pupil bus-surfing with two friends.

Yesterday, the 33-year-old mother-of-three told The Northern Echo she is embarrassed her son told a television news programme he would not rule out bus-surfing again as it was a good way to get a free ride.

“I just think Marcus thinks it is all a big joke,” she said. “I phoned the police officer last night to see if he will come out again and speak to him.”

She said she would like to see the police’s anti-social behaviour team getting involved as it might shock her son into stopping the dangerous game.

“I don’t want to bury my son. It is not supposed to be that way around,” she said.

“I can’t apologise enough to the bus company for his behaviour.”

Arriva have begun fitting metal guards over the handholds.

John Fozzard, spokesman for Arriva, said: “We started doing this before Christmas, when we became aware that children were bus-surfing.

“Fitting the guards seems to have completely stopped bus-surfing – they are simply unable to do it.

“We are fitting them on all the vehicles which are affected by this activity, at great expense to ourselves, as soon as possible.”

He said he thought Ms Malone had been very responsible by handing her son into the police.

“We are glad she has done the responsible thing – there are so many people who would not have done the same.

“Bus-surfing is not cool or fun, and buses are far warmer and more comfortable on the inside.

“And most seriously, if you fall off, you run the risk of seriously hurting yourself or someone else, or worse.”