A disabled mother was beaten unconscious by another parent after their pushchairs locked horns on a packed bus.

The couple, who are in their 30s and did not want to be named, were kicked and punched in the head and stomach while travelling on the 85 bus as it passed Kingston University’s campus at about 2pm on Sunday, September 19.

The 32-year-old husband, a full-time carer for his wife, who suffers from the autoimmune disease lupus, is appealing for witnesses to come forward.

He said: “The man started saying things about [my wife] and saying very personal comments and insults. He said ‘I’m going to have people waiting for you when you get off the bus.’ “My wife was taken to hospital by an ambulance as she was knocked unconscious. He was slamming her head repeatedly on the floor while kicking her.”

The distraught husband claimed none of the other passengers tried to stop the attack, even when the attacker tried to drag the woman off the bus after landing the blows.

He said: “My wife was a bloody mess on the floor and her glasses had been smashed into her head.

“When he was insulting her, people were sitting on the bus laughing. This could happen anywhere and people just do not seem to intervene.”

A Transport for London (TfL) spokesman said bus drivers were trained to deal with a number of different scenarios but their priority was to keep themselves and passengers safe.

He said: “TfL takes the matter of passenger safety very seriously. The 8,500-strong London bus fleet is fitted with more than 75,000 CCTV cameras and are in constant contact with TfL and control centres.

“All buses have GPRS location equipment installed, which help pinpoint exact locations for buses that may need assistance.

“All drivers are empowered to assess a situation and make a decision accordingly.”

Kingston police are looking for a 5ft 10in black man, aged about 35, with short hair, who headed towards Roehampton after getting off the bus.

A spokeswoman said: “He was wearing a dark puffer jacket with a white logo on the left breast area, dark trousers and was seen with a black Blackberry phone.

“He was accompanied with a 5ft 6in, large built, Mediterranean-looking woman about aged 35 years old, who had long dark brown hair in a pony tail.

“She wore a light grey scoop neck baggy top and a gold necklace. The couple was accompanied with a mixed race young girl.”

Anyone with information call Detective Constable Dave Norman, Kingston CID, on 0208 247 4946 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.