ON Wednesday May 6 my husband and I had a ride on the X9 First National bus, return to Holsworthy, hoping to look around the town and buy some plants and catch the 13.05 bus back to Okehampton, as other elderly people had hoped to do.

13.05 came and went. At 2pm one of the ladies rang First National office at Plymouth to enquire why the bus had not turned up, and was told the bus would not run as there was no driver available and the next bus back to Okehampton was at 15.55 at Holsworthy.

As we are both pensioners and not very mobile we did not wish to wait till then, but how could we get home earlier with no bus, or friends with cars to fetch us? It meant an expensive taxi ride which will be reimbursable by the bus company, hopefully.

Apparently similar non-existent buses have been frequent in Holsworthy lately, causing people to be unable to get to work in Bideford and Bude.

Not good enough First National with the holiday season starting and, I believe, your firm also has an obligation to the railway station in Exeter. Is it a case of up go the fares and never mind the public? Be warned when travelling by buses. J Bassett

South Zeal