ELDERLY Appleton residents fear that they may be left housebound if a lifeline bus service is taken away.

The number 48 bus, which goes through Dudlows Green and Longshaw Street to Stockton Heath and then town, could be cancelled by Warrington Borough Transport because of a lack of funds.

Winnie Fludder, aged 75, of Westcliff Gardens, has had a hip replacement operation and cannot walk up Longwood Road to catch a bus on London Road.

She said: "We have nothing round here at all. When I was on the bus the other day one woman said she won't be able to go out.

"I think it's disgusting. I couldn't move because I sold my house to come and live with my daughter. I don't know why they can't just divert one of the Northwich buses."

Warrington South MP Helen Southworth is writing to Nigel Featham, managing director of Warrington Borough Transport, to request that it finds a way to keep the service going.

She said: "It is so important that Warrington is a town in which we pride ourselves on accessibility.

"They need better advertising to get through to the people because there are those who want to use the service."

Mr Featham said that the route had to be cancelled because ridership levels have not been high enough to make it a financially viable route.

He said: "Re-routing services, reducing the frequency and altering fares have all been considered but, in reality, none of these measures would sufficiently improve the financial viability of the route."