WILTSHIRE Council has confirmed that the Hopper bus service which transports patients to the Royal United Hospital in Bath will be discontinued due to lack of funds.

In a statement released today, the council said: "The decision was taken by the council in February 2014 to reduce the funding available to run the Hopper service.

"Last year the council worked with the Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS so it could be funded through the Better Care Fund until April 2016 to provide enough time to develop a longer term solution.

"Wiltshire Council has been investigating a sustainable joint funding solution, however this could not be agreed and as a result the Hopper will stop running from May 2016."

The exact date is yet to be confirmed.

A petition was started by Cllrs Jeff and Helen Osborn and Cllr Terry Chivers when the proposed cut was first announced which has gathered nearly 5,000 signatures.

But over Christmas, the CCG announced that they would not part-fund the £150,000 a year service with Wiltshire Council due to their own financial restraints.