A HOUSING association's residents are being invited to solve their problems by hopping on a bus.

Endeavour Housing Association staff are touring its housing on a yellow bus to meet tenants and resolve problems.

Hartlepool was the bus's first destination and trips into Middlesbrough and east Cleveland are planned for later in the year.

Carol Ramsay, Endeavour's special initiatives coordinator, said the association will have two area forums a year, with its hired yellow shuttle bus decked out with Endeavour banners.

"We will write to all tenants in the neighbourhood to tell them when we are coming, so they can come along and meet us on the bus," said Ms Ramsay.

"We'll look at problems on the estates, then have a meeting in the office with a couple of resident representatives and a staff team. We hope we'll be able to tell them what we can do to help and when."

The bus will put in an appearance at the Middlesbrough Mela, in Albert Park, in July.

Hartlepool tenant Arthur Carter said: "We found it much better going on the bus as we got one-to-one attention from staff over a cuppa and then left. It's not like formal meetings where you feel you must stay until the end.''