THE latest addition to the Freshwater, Totland and Yarmouth (FYT) Bus service has arrived in the West Wight.

The £27,000 bus will replace one of the older models and is the perfect birthday present for the Isle of Wight charity which celebrates its eighth anniversary next month.

Co-founder Adrian Harris said: "It's been a remarkable success story.

"In 2010, Freshwater Parish Council agreed to provide funds for a local survey to see if the community needed this sort of service.

"The reaction was an overwhelming 'yes' and with funding from other local parishes we were able to launch the FYT Bus service.

"It's been a huge success thanks to the support from the West Wight community, parishes, volunteers, churches, businesses and generous local benefactors.

"Across the country lots of rural bus services have been lost but we have solved that problem here and long may it continue."

The FYT Bus currently has six in operation, but the oldest two will be sold in the next few months.

The money raised for the new model came from the FYT Bus charity shop in The Broadway, Totland, contributions and donations from local fund-raising events.

Deputy operations manager Steve Fairclough will be taking over from Adrian when he steps down next year.