A Bacup schoolgirl was filmed being attacked on board a bus

And instead of helping, dozens of other children can be seen looking on, recording the horrific event, and even goading the attacker to continue with her actions.

The incident is believed to have happened on a bus in Bacup on Thursday morning (July 13).

In the video, one girl can be seen verbally abusing another pupil who is sat down, before she begins physically attacking the youngster.

The clip has been widely shared on social media, by children and parents, with the students involved believed to attend Valley Leadership Academy.

In a section of the video, one youngster begs the attacker to stop, before the crowd of children begin chanting for her to continue, which she does, and hits the young girl again.

The victim is sitting down throughout the attack and doesn’t retaliate.

A still from the video shows the girl on the left attacking another child while other youngsters look on and film the incident (Image: Facebook)

A Go Fund Me page has now been set up for the pupil, by a shocked parent who saw the footage and decided she wanted to try and give something back to the child.

Ginnie Nolan decided to launch the fundraiser to give her a good summer break and at the time of writing the page had raised more than £1,000.

The page reads: “As most of you are aware by the video going around, the girl was getting the bus to school when she was attacked by another student.

"She is a smaller child and the girl attacking her was twice her size. If this isn't bad enough there was also a large group of children egging on the attack, filming and chanting to hit her again! No one stopped this, not even the bus driver!

“Bullying causes all sorts of mental health issues and having that many children gang up and record it will really have a negative effect on the poor kid, so let's get together and show her she is not alone, and we care.

“We would like to get enough to give her a good day or two in the six weeks holiday and send her on an outing with her mum who is heartbroken watching a video of her baby being attacked while no-one helped her.”

As footage of the disturbing incident circulated, parents took to social media to comment on the bullying, with one saying: “I can’t believe they all stood there recording it and the driver is doing nothing.”

While another said: “I would be so ashamed if that was my child not helping and stood there filming.”

And one parent wrote: “Shameful behaviour, all the children involved and watching and filming this and not helping to stop, this should be punished, and what was the bus driver doing? If that was my daughter I would be so ashamed.”

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “Yesterday (July 13) we received a report of an assault committed on a bus.

“We have spoken with the victim and their family and have visited the school in relation to this incident.

"Following enquiries, today we have identified a girl involved and arrangements have been made to interview her.

“It has been brought to our attention that a number of young people filmed the incident at the time and may have since shared it on social media.

"If you are one of these people, it is really important that you step forward and provide us with these videos.”

Anyone with information or footage which may assist the police investigation is asked to call 101, quoting log 1309 of July 13. 

Alternatively, you can report online on the Lancashire Police website, or call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A spokesperson for the school said: “A number of our children have been affected by a distressing and unacceptable incident on a public bus. We are liaising with the relevant public authorities, conducting our own rigorous investigation and supporting children and parents.  

“We have high expectations of every pupil and do not tolerate poor behaviour in our school. Whilst this incident took place on a public bus service, we expect our pupils to behave appropriately in and out of school and the overwhelming majority of our pupils demonstrate exemplary character at all times.“

To donate to the fundraiser, follow this link.