THE team trying to preserve a bit of Darlington's bus history is appealing to find a new home for its 1970s vehicle as it approaches its 50th anniversary.

Darlington Bus 50 Association needs a new place to keep its ex Darlington Corporation Daimler Fleetline bus, which was used around the town between 1972 and the company's demise in 1994.

The bus, which the group takes to events and rallies, was saved from the scrap heap several years ago and has recently undergone major mechanical repairs.

But the group needs a new place to keep it after losing its storage space.

It had previously been kept at the Arriva depot in Faverdale and more recently was undergoing mechanical repairs at Durham Bus and Coach, in Ferryhill.

It is temporarily being kept under tarpaulin on an industrial estate in Darlington, but will have to be moved to a new home by June 9 at the latest.

Society chairman Paul Jackson said: "The thing is 36 feet long, 12 feet wide and about seven or eight feet high so if we could find a friendly farmer with a barn it would be very useful. We just need something to keep it under cover."

He added: "It needs a few things done to it. It's all stuff we have a programme to do but we've lost our storage space.

"We don't want to let it go because it's a part of Darlington's history.

"Whenever people see it they want to stop and talk about their memories of it."

The bus, which used to bear the advertising slogan 'Wake up to The Northern Echo', was one of fewer than 350 single-decker examples in the country.

Only a handful of them are still in existence today, the majority having been long since scrapped.

Mr Jackson, who was a driver for Darlington Corporation for 30 years, added: "Because the bus has been sat out for a year it had gone green and mouldy.

"We gave it a power wash at the weekend and it looks 100 per cent better but we can't get started on repairing the bodywork until it's under cover."

The group, which is in the process of applying for charitable status, has a small budget to pay rent.

Anyone who may be able to help is asked to email darlingtonbus50society@outlook.com.

The group would also welcome new members, particularly people with mechanical skills. to help with the continued restoration and preservation of the bus.