ASSURANCES have been given that every effort will be made to retain a Darlington bus service.

Leven Valley Coaches announced last week that it was withdrawing its 32 and 33 service, which takes in the Albert Hill, Hundens Lane and Mowden areas of Darlington.

The company says it can no longer afford to run the service, which will cease on July 21.

About 150 angry residents, who use the bus to go shopping and take advantage of other amenities, packed St James' Church hall in the town yesterday for a public meeting on the future of the service.

Council officials and representatives from the Arriva and Stagecoach bus companies attended to answer questions and said they were surprised by the depth of feeling.

In heated exchanges, residents accused Darlington Borough Council, which subsidises the route, of not doing enough to help Leven Valley run the service.

But Anne Carruthers, the council's transport policy manager, said: "Leven Valley's decision to withdraw was entirely up to them. It is not a council decision to stop the service. We don't want to stop the service."

Bus user Carol Garbutt said: "Can you guarantee a bus service on the 22nd of July?

"We are not asking for a bus, we need a bus. It has gone on too long and we don't want to be left high and dry."

Councillor Ian Haszeldine, the only council member at the meeting, said: "The bus companies and the council will ensure that the day Leven Valley pull out there will be a bus service running. It will be a service equivalent to what you have already got.

"It will be a temporary contract at the moment, but while that is running, there will be negotiations through the tender process to provide a longer- term contract for Hundens Lane, Albert Hill and Mowden.

"It will hopefully be to the same level as you have at the present moment with Leven Valley."

Arriva and Stagecoach confirmed that they have put in tenders for the route.

Leven Valley, which did not have a representative at the meeting, has chosen not to