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Millie Collins, 15, from Blackley, is registered disabled with autism, foetal alcohol syndrome and extreme anxiety. She wears a lanyard which explains she has a hidden disability. However, a bus station attendant allegedly told her she “didn’t look disabled enough” when she wanted to use the disabled facilities.

Millie said she was humiliated and in floods of tears following the incident at Shudehill bus station in Manchester city centre at around 5.30pm on Tuesday.

She was returning to her home in Blackley following a shopping trip with a friend and told Manchester Evening News: “I asked politely, and they told me ‘no’. They said, ‘you don’t look disabled enough’.

“I told them I had special needs, that I have autism. They would not let me use it. I showed them my lanyard which I was wearing around my neck, they were being so rude and I started crying. 

“I told them I had extremely bad anxiety and that I have panic attacks if I go in the small stalls. I also showed them my disabled bus pass. They just kept shouting at me that I didn’t look disabled enough.”

Following the exchange, the member of staff relented and opened the disabled toilets, while still complaining about her apparent lack of disability, according to Millie.

Millie’s grandmother – and legal guardian and carer – Wendy, 58, has sent an official complaint to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

She said: “It is disgusting. She had the lanyard and bus pass, and she is still not believed. It does highlight that people do have disabilities other than physical disabilities.”

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TfGM’s head of facilities management, Howard Hartley, said: “I am sorry for the experience this customer had with us at Shudehill Interchange and for any distress caused.

“We do a lot of work to make sure everyone can use our bus stations and interchanges safely, confidently and independently and last year joined the Sunflower scheme to further support people with hidden disabilities.

“Unfortunately, we did not meet the standards expected on this occasion and have reminded staff about our policies with regards to use of our facilities.”

Additional reporting by John Scheerhout.

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