A PREGNANT Vale woman fears the cancellation of a bus service through her village will leave her housebound.

Frances Wood, aged 21, from Church Street, Birlingham, is concerned the 382 Astons service will stop running through the village from June 12.

Passengers will have to catch the bus from a stop along a busy main road, which Miss Wood believes poses a danger to pedestrians.

The play assistant, who is three months pregnant with her first child, said: "This service has been stopped by Worcestershire County Council, but it's a community service that is used and needed. Quite a lot of people are very unhappy about it and I've started a petition to let the county council know that we wish the service to continue.

"I won't be able to get anywhere once it is scrapped and if I have shopping to carry back, particularly when I'm heavily pregnant, it will be impossible.

"We've got quite a lot of elderly people in the village and they will miss out on their independence too. You don't want to have to rely on other people all the time or pay out for taxis."

Ken Radbourne, the county council's principal customer services officer, said a survey carried out last autumn showed less than one passenger on average boarded the bus at Birlingham. The decision to scrap the route through the village was in response to customer need for an improved and faster service.

He added: "We have simplified service 382 throughout the day. Only certain journeys went through Birlingham, but if you start deviating off the main route for everyone no-one would get anywhere. Community transport should be able to provide an alternative for people wishing to travel in the Pershore area.

"Anyone who doesn't have access to public transport can request the services of community transport - it not specifically for elderly or disabled people."