A DAYTIME bus service linking residents with Blackburn's hospitals has been revived after a new company stepped in to plug the gap.

Morning and early afternoon services covering Blackburn Outer Circle were withdrawn in June by Blackburn Transport, prompting anger among councillors and passengers.

But this week Burnley-based Northern Blue Buses have started running the service between 9.32am and 1.32pm.

Blackburn Transport dropped the service because it said not enough passengers used it to make it viable. The service was subsidised by Blackburn with Darwen Council for one month.

Northern Blue operations manager Brendan O'Reilly, said if it was well supported they may look at expanding it.

He said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this service.We were surprised to hear that the previous operator had chosen to withdraw their daytime off-peak service and so reacted to offer a much-needed replacement service that the travelling public deserve.

"Hopefully, with support from local residents, we will be able to develop the service further, perhaps increasing the frequency or offering further connections to other parts of town.

"The anger expressed by users of the original service when it was withdrawn was picked up on by our company."

The outer circle route starts at Intack and links Whitebirk, Roe Lee, Revidge, Witton Park, Mill Hill, Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Higher Croft, Queen's Park Hospital and Shadsworth.

Coun Paul McGurty, of Corporation Park ward, said: "I welcome any increase in service to the residents of my ward because over several years operators have sadly reduced some services or cancelled them altogether."

Executive member for Regeneration for Blackburn with Darwen Council, Coun Andy Kay said: "We hope the resumption of this service will encourage people to use it."

Another company, Catch-me-bus.com Ltd runs a weekend, evening and Bank Holiday service on the route.