Police officers will be travelling on trains and buses in Nottinghamshire to stop violence and theft on public transport.

The patrols are a result of recent assaults, including the headbutting of a conductor on one train, and increased vandalism and fare dodging.

Nottingham City Transport has had seats ripped and thrown out of the windows and drivers threatened.

Barton Buses has refused to run one of its school services after pupils daubed graffiti on vehicles and tried to start a fire.

'Rowdy behaviour'

Police in Ashfield and Mansfield will board local buses at random.

They will also travel to Nottingham on the Robin Hood line, which has been routinely delayed by vandalism and objects on the line.

Another passenger had his jaw broken in a fight on the platform

Andy Garner Central Trains

Central Trains spokesman Andy Garner said: "In the past few months we have had a number of on-train incidents, including assaults of three conductors.

"In the worst case, one was headbutted and admitted to hospital."

Mr Garner said the problems did not stop with assaults on staff: "Another passenger had his jaw broken in a fight on the platform; and we've had luggage thefts.

"We hope just having a uniformed officer will have an effect and it does tend to quieten things down if there is rowdy behaviour."