An 82-year-old woman was left feeling humiliated and upset after her bus pass was refused for the first time in 23 years.

Norah Frisby, 82, of George Moore Close, Oxford, was trying to make her usual trip to Gloucester Green market, when a bus driver refused to let her travel.

Mrs Frisby has had the same bus pass, issued by Oxford City Council, since she turned 60. It allows her to travel on the city's buses for only 20p.

Norah FrisbyHowever, last Wednesday she found herself walking from Toys R Us on Botley Road to Gloucester Green after the driver queried her bus pass.

She said: "The bus driver said my pass was out-of-date and showed me a yellow one, saying 'this is what it should look like'.

"I was very upset because there were quite a few people on the bus. I felt quite humiliated."

Mrs Frisby was later told by city council officers that her pass was valid, although new credit card style passes were introduced last year.

The city council's customer services manager Sue Newman said: "Old-style passes are still valid and should be accepted. I find it incredible that someone should be refused a journey."

Three companies currently run services along Botley Road.

Oxford Bus Company has said it would urgently issue a briefing to advise its drivers which passes were valid.

Stagecoach Oxford said its services along Botley Road were limited to an hourly shuttle that day.

Thames Travel was unavailable for comment.