A MINIBUS providing evening transport to Malvern and Worcester from nearby villages will be launched at the beginning of December.

The parish councils of Suckley, Alfrick & Lulsley and Leigh & Bransford have joined forces to launch the scheme. It will provide transport for the three parishes two nights a week, for a small fee.

The project has received funding of £27,450 from the Countryside Agency, £1,000 from Malvern Hills District Council and £100 from each of the parish councils.

The service, which is provisionally set to run on Thursdays and Fridays, will start about 5.30pm and run until 11.30pm. It will be operated by Community Action, which will provide a driver and vehicle.

Both routes will begin in Malvern, one picking up from the parishes and returning to Malvern and the other travelling to Worcester via the parishes.

Pat Perks, clerk to Suckley Parish Council, said she was delighted the project was so close to completion.

She said: "The young people have been asking for this for a long time and have even made a presentation to the group.

"Most of them go to school in Malvern and if they want to meet their friends they have to get a bus to Worcester, then go from Worcester to Malvern and then get another bus to wherever they're going - it's pretty horrendous.

"The prime thing is it's for young people, but we're hoping it will pick up older people too and eventually people will commute between the villages."