A drug addict who slashed a bus driver across the face during an attempted robbery has been jailed for six years.

Keighley and District driver Alan Daniel was left scarred after Thomas Simpson lashed out with a knife when he refused to hand over a cash bag.

Simpson attacked the driver in Hanover Street, Keighley, when he refused to give him the money.

An artery on the right side of Mr Daniel's face was cut during the attack in September, but he was still able to drive his bus to the company's offices before being taken to hospital.

As well as a one-and-a-half centimetre cut to the right side of his face, Mr Daniel suffered a cut to his left cheek. Prosecutor Henry Prosser told Bradford Crown Court that Mr Daniel, in his 40s, had to be given fluids to replace the blood he had lost.

Mr Prosser said the robbery was planned and Simpson hid a change of clothing in a nearby graveyard.

Two witnesses saw him in the graveyard after the failed robbery and one of them recovered a blood-stained baseball cap.

The court heard that the Sunday evening attack was captured by video on the bus and Simpson was recognised by police.

He was arrested the following day and told police where they could find the blade.

The 24-year-old, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted robbery and wounding before Christmas.

Yesterday Judge James Spencer QC jailed him after hearing he had a string of previous offences.

Of the attack, he said: "When he showed resistance, without any qualms whatsoever, you stabbed him. You stabbed him twice in the face so he was severely injured and is now scarred for life.''

He said the offences were aggravated by the fact that there was a degree of preparation and Mr Daniel was employed in a public service. "This is serious and the sentence must be long so you know, and others know, they can't behave in this evil way,'' he added.

Simpson's barrister Nicholas Askins explained that earlier Simpson and his girlfriend, who also used heroin, had argued about their lack of money.

He said Simpson had the knife with him to cause fear, but when Mr Daniel showed great courage and presence of mind to resist, Simpson panicked and lashed out, forgetting that he had the knife in his hand.

After the case, Keighley and District Operations Manager Jeff Smith said he was "grimly satisfied" about the sentence imposed.

"This was a horrific attack which shocked the whole of K&D," he said.

He said the company was expanding its closed-circuit television system to protect drivers and customers.