Well, you see it was about 4.30pm and mum was at Fulham grabbing some veggies from the market stalls when it began to rain. (just setting the scene).
Instead of walking home, we waited under the very crowded shelter of the bus stop hoping that the bus would be along shortly.
Mum was just moving our pram (aka the chariot) so we wouldn't get wet when she felt a sudden forceful pulling at the front. With lightening reflexes she managed to catch the pram, preventing Alex from being slammed into the footpath.
With 20 ish people gawping at her mum managed to investigate the issue whilst holding onto the handles so the pram wouldn't over turn
The front wheels were now next to the pram with the big metal plate that attaches to the frame. The plate was sheered in two with the remaining piece fixed onto the pram.
After collecting the pieces mum managed to wait another 10 minutes balancing us on the rear two wheels for the 424 bus.
Mum managed to lure the bus driver from his lofty purch long enough for him to see that the pram had indeed broken and she did need help getting it onto the bus.
Once inside we were placed in the pram area but had Alex's seat onto the seat so that when the bus stopped or lurched around the corners mum could keep us upright.
At the next stop an elderly black (Afro Carribean if you want to be politically correct) lady got onto the bus and was disgusted that we were blocking 'her' seat. It was the seat which is signed posted for walking impaired or elderly.
Given our predicament mum felt we took priority.
This lady is extremely mobile (as she demonstrated shortly afterwards) and there were several other seats next to the pram area which she could've sat in. She was so unhappy she began to harras mum and every other passenger was told (in a very loud voice) how horrible it was that we were in those seats.
Mum tried to explain that the pram was broken but was cut short with the following tirade.
"I don't care. In my day we weren't allowed on buses with prams let alone those monsters. They should be banned. We managed with several kids without buses".
This continued for the next 10 mins until the lady got off.
Not one person on the bus came to mums rescue nor offered to help when mum eventually had to get off the bus. Thankfully, the bus driver came unasked to her aid.
He commented on how shocked he was about the lady's abuse and looked embarrassed when mum pointed out that he should've told her to stop or he'd get her removed for harrassment.
Mum managed to wheel the pram from the bus stop (with all of the shopping) to the house and get us inside without a scratch.
Upon entering the front room, dad noticed that there was something amiss. That's when mum told him her tale of woe.
The pram is now useless and will need a new plate to secure the wheels on.
UPDATE....
We contacted the maker and they fobbed us off with appaling customer service.
After reading various forums online we discovered that they would not replace the part and that the company is horrible for after sales service and repairs.
Dad went online and found a replacement part (this is vary rare). As dad fitted it to the pram he noticed that this part has been modified from the original one we had to try and stop the breakages we had.
Fingers crossed.