A family run bus and coach company based near Stowmarket hope to step up and help their local community after they say residents have been left stranded by recent bus cuts.

Owner of Dan's Coach Travel, Daniel Trent, 28, said he fully understands the reasons why bus companies have cut routes in recent years, admitting: "There is no money in running rural bus services."

In recent years significant cuts have been made to the 88/89 First bus service which has affected residents in several areas around Stowmarket.

Dan's Coach Travel, which have a yard on the outskirts of Rattlesden, currently run coaches and buses for private hire, excursions, schools and rail replacements.

Mr Trent hopes to use the utilise his drivers and vehicles to run a community bus service on Mondays and Thursdays in-between school pick up times.

He said: "I don't expect to make any money from this - we need to get enough to warrant the fuel being used - but the service will need to be used to make it worthwhile.

"Especially when it is the school holidays and we will have run light from the yard."

Mr Trent, who runs the business alongside his twin sister Hannah Upson, added:"We try and do our bit for the community, we're not thinking of it as a business opportunity.

"It could be quite vital and might bring a bit of Independence back for people, I know a lot of people have said they feel stranded, Stowmarket and the villages around it need something."

Following a supportive response from Stowmarket residents that said they would use a new community bus service Mr Trent and Mrs Upson are putting in an application with an aim to have it up and running by March 2022.

It is hoped on Mondays and Thursdays the new service could operate between Stowupland, Stowmarket Tesco, Combs Ford and the Violet Hill Road area in Stowmarket - potentially returning through Buxhall and Finborough.

If there is enough interest Mr Trent may also start running a market day service to Bury St Edmunds on a Wednesday and Diss on a Friday.