THE elderly now have somewhere to sit while waiting for coaches in Hanley Road car park thanks to the fundraising efforts of an Upton shop assistant.

A seat has been installed after Jean Lewis, of Ye Olde Upton Delicatessen on Old Street, raised around £430 to pay for it from annual raffles she organises at the Friends of Upton Jazz Festival's Christmas parties.

Mrs Lewis puts together food and fruit hampers, Christmas decorations and other prizes to raffle off in order to fund events for the town's senior citizens.

Previously those waiting at the car park, a main pick-up point for coaches and buses, have had nowhere to sit, but she says they can now enjoy river views while waiting to be picked up.

"I was happy to see people on it," she said. "I came by yesterday and there were four people sat on it and I thought 'great!'"

Mary Wilkinson, chairman of Malvern Hills District Council, said several people had mentioned the need for a place to sit while awaiting lifts to the theatre, shops or elsewhere.

"It's made of cast iron, so we hope it's fairly vandal-proof," she said, adding that MHDC had installed the new bench free of charge.