'I tried driving a bus for a day - and it was absolutely terrifying'

It is Valentine's Day morning, and I am wondering if I am going to live to see tomorrow's discounted chocolate. Not because I'm heartbroken, or planning a spectacular but risky romantic move, but because today I am learning to drive a bus. I am terrified.

Greater Manchester has a bus driver shortage, which will not surprise anyone who is a frequent passenger. As a result, Go North West are on a huge recruitment drive and are particularly interested in encouraging women to get behind the wheel - all of which has led to me being here today, sat in the driver's seat of a bus, ready to lurch my way into a brand new career for the morning.

Fewer than one in ten of Go North West's drivers are currently women - something managing director Nigel Featham tells me they are keen to change. He says shift work and perceptions around manoeuvring such a large vehicle are common barriers for women, but that bus driving is a career for 'anyone'.

I stare at the colossal vehicle in front of me and wonder whether any learner has managed to destroy a bus before.

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For someone who found learning to drive as stressful as me (think tears at roundabouts and a tendency to slow down to a sedate crawl when worried), the thought of manoeuvring a bus is alarming. Don't get me wrong, I can drive well enough now - but speeding around Greater Manchester in my little red hatchback seems somewhat more realistic than trundling along in an 11 tonne bus.

The team at Go North West were delightful, which almost made me feel even worse about the potential damage I was about to inflict upon their blue and yellow training bus. As we made our way to the grounds of the AJ