Sir – My daughter, who lives near Oxford, has just told me a disturbing story. She was taken ill on the bus from London to Oxford on Tuesday, June 18.

She was quite clearly in some distress — she is a chronic migraine sufferer and was experiencing a severe attack, was in tears and trying to call for help on her mobile ‘phone.

When she arrived at Thornhill park-and-ride she was so ill that she needed to lie down and wait for her friend to collect her. In full view of the other passengers, she lay on the ground, in tears and in obvious pain and nobody stopped even to enquire if she needed help.

I am so appalled by this. How can it be that we have reached a point in our dealings with each other that a woman can be so vulnerable in a public place and yet be so completely ignored?

For all anyone knew she might have been the victim of a heart attack, a mugging or any other dreadful happening.

My point in writing this is to share my distress and outrage that the people who were in close proximity chose to turn away.

I hope the fellow travellers will read this letter and perhaps recognise themselves and give some thought to how they might respond to any other ill and distressed fellow human being.

Jacqueline Bartlett, Saffron Walden