AN award-winning coach holiday company has capitalised on its success and bought a new vehicle.

Roy and Sue Westwood, who run Jubilee Travel, have upgraded their business with the purchase of a German-designed Kassebohrer Setra to replace their old coach.

The two-person firm, based in Bransford Road, Worcester, specialises in tours for the over-50s.

It originally started as a hobby for the couple, back in 1982, but they turned it into a business in 1996, when coach travel was deregulated.

Since then they have taken thousands of people to Austria, Germany, Ireland and around the UK, doing about 20 tours a year. One of their favourite spots is The Tyrol, in Austria.

"We took our first group of adults to The Tyrol in 1982," said Mr Westwood, who still drives the coach.

He started out as a driver for Worcester-based Aston's Coaches, and discovered the Tyrol region through taking parties of schoolchildren there.

"We had got to know the area ourselves and thought it was so nice, our friends would like to see it," he continued.

"Since then, we have built up a really good friendship with the people there."

He estimates that in that time he has taken almost 2,000 people to The Tyrol.

Last year, the firm was presented with a gold medal for tourism by the tourist board in Hall, a medieval town in The Tyrol.

Christian

The couple, who are Christians and run the company along Christian principles, are proud of the company slogan ''Travel Carefree with Jubilee'' and strive to make all their tours ''hassle free'' for their passengers.

The new coach, which has been repainted in the Jubilee Travel livery, has 49 reclining seats with seat belts, an on-board toilet, coffee machine and air-conditioning.