BUS passengers are no longer confronted by an ugly stump when they want to sit down at a stop in Oakley.

Their treasured wooden seat has been restored.

The installation was good news for pensioner Derek Ager who said the lack of seating at the stop in Hill Road, Oakley, had caused problems for elderly residents.

The 81-year-old said many elderly passengers needed to sit down for the bus into Basingstoke town.

The grandfather-of-three added: “It’s quite well used. There’s not a crowd of people waiting there each morning but there’s usually two or three. Elderly people rely on the bus and there are lots of elderly people living round here.”

He said elderly women had been sitting on the grass bank, waiting for the bus.

The pensioner contacted Hampshire County Council to find out why the seat was removed, but said he had not had a reply.

However, Oakley and Deane Parish Council confirmed to The Gazette that the bench was due to be installed.

Sally Warner, parish clerk, said: “It has to be of a special narrow design because there is hardly any room between the pavement and the fairly steep bank behind it.”

The new bench was installed by a villager at no cost, she said.