CHILDREN at a rural first school have thanked local bus drivers for going the extra mile to get them to school.

Pupils at Otterburn First School gave drivers James Renton, Brian Rogerson and Mina Wright a special send-off as their links with the school were cut after bus operator Howard Snaith lost its long-standing school contract.

With Northumberland County Council awarding the contract to another firm, it brought an end to decades of dedication from the trio, with Mr Renton ferrying local passengers for the past 27 years.

During that time, they have battled all weather conditions, often negotiating remote farm tracks, to pick up pupils and get them to school on time.

Headteacher Dafydd Jones said: “It was all about saying thank you to the bus drivers for their loyal service to the community.

“They work incredibly hard, are very responsive to the needs of parents, and the children think they are fantastic.

“They told us how they’ve been stuck in the mud on Otterburn Ranges and stuck in the snow at Elsdon and Byrness!

“They have always gone above and beyond for the community and we hope that the relationship with the new transport providers can be as positive as it has been with Howard Snaith in the past.”