BLACKPOOL and The Fylde College is helping to ease financial stress on its students with a new transport scheme.

From September the college will introduce a free bus service operating from three different areas across the Fylde coast. The transport service will be available for all full time students.

Students who do not have access to the free bus services in their local area may be eligible to a free Zone Card.

The Zone Card is available to students who live more than 1.5 miles away from the college and who are in receipt of means-tested benefits. Full time students who live more than three miles away from their campus can receive £1 per day towards transport for every day they attend their course. Part-time students may also be eligible to receive £1 per day towards transport for every day they attend their course if they live more than 1.5 miles from the college and are in receipt of a means-tested benefit.

A college spokeswoman said: "Many students find going to college a real financial struggle. We are trying to ease the financial pressure they face."

The three bus routes are: Knott End-Bispham campus (07.50, returning at 17.10); Fleetwood-Bispham campus and central Blackpool campus (08.10, returning from central Blackpool at 16.40); and Wrea Green-Ansdell campus, Central Blackpool campus and Bispham campus (07.30, returning from Bispham campus at 16.45). For more details on the transport scheme, please contact Student Services on 01253 504348.

The college has set up a new training programme with the army which will provide NVQ3 courses to members of the 5GS Medical Regiment at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, .

It has been introduced to give people in the army valid qualifications so that when they leave military service they will be better able to find a job.

The college's school of health and social care is running the course which involves 30 soldiers, some of whom will be studying while on active duty in Bosnia.