VILLAGERS left stranded by cuts to a bus service linking east Durham and Hartlepool are demanding a rethink on its future.

People living in Hesleden, east Durham, claim the decision to axe the public transport has made travelling to Hartlepool a lengthy ordeal.

Local businessman Andrew Borthwick has now launched a campaign to have the four-times-a-day service through the village restored.

He said removing the Arriva 247 service means locals who wish to travel to Hartlepool have to catch as many as three buses.

There are buses north to Peterlee and to nearby Blackhall Rocks where travellers have to change to catch another service to Hartlepool.

Mr Borthwick, 46, who runs the village shop and post office, said: "The most annoying part of it is that no-one knew it was going to happen. One day there were buses and the next there were not."

The service was one of hundreds that were subsidised by Durham County Council, but when they went out to tender this year, the cost was above the £3.5m in the council budget.

A county council spokesman said: "We had to make service reductions and we looked around to see where passenger loadings were at the lowest and where reasonable alternative services were available.

"Passenger loading on this particular service were very low so, sadly, this was one of the ones we had to cut from our list."

Mr Borthwick, who has a petition and letters backing his fight, added: "It is always the little villages that get hit and cut off. As well as the problems we have here in Hesleden, Castle Eden has been cut off, too."