A BUS driver spat at by a thug has become the first in the county to take a sample of his attacker's DNA with a new saliva swab kit.

Now forensic experts are analysing the sample in the hope that it identifies the person responsible for the assault on the X43 Manchester to Nelson bus in Manchester Road, Burnley.

Earlier this month Lancashire County Council issued 4,000 kits to drivers across the county in a bid to reduce the number of attacks.

Drivers use gloves, an evidence bag and a sterile swab to take samples of the spit and hand them to police.

The plan, introduced at a cost of £5,000, allows officers to check DNA against a national database, which could identify the offender and lead to prosecution.

And police, who are awaiting the results of the DNA database check, are hoping the first use of the kits will lead to such a conclusion.

On the X43 bus at 6pm on Monday, the driver asked a gang of youths to leave the bus after they were being rowdy and causing trouble.

But as they exited the Burnley and Pendle Travel Ltd bus near the Rose and Crown pub, one of them turned around and spat in the driver's face.

James Dunbar, operations manager at Burnley and Pendle Travel Ltd, said: "The behaviour of these youths before the incident was disgusting and the assault on the driver totally uncalled for.

"This is something we are quite prepared to take, with the police, to its ultimate conclusion.

"This is the first time the kit has been used and hopefully it will act as a deterrent to anyone thinking of carrying out such attacks."

Insp Dave Croll, of Burnley police, said they were hopeful of a match, but would also be reviewing the bus's CCTV footage.

He added: "Schemes like this and the CCTV that is now on the buses will hopefully lead to a reduction in the number of incidents on public transport."

Peter Johnson, regional industrial organiser for the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU), said attacks on drivers are becoming more and more common.

And he added: "Spitting is assault, and also a bit more than just assault because if these people are carrying any kind of disease it can transmit the disease."