BUS company bosses, police and local councillors will meet next week in an attempt to resolve a problem which has turned Little Hulton into a no-go zone for buses.

Elderly and vulnerable residents in the area are facing having to stay indoors at night for a week after their local bus services were pulled out of housing estates because of a series of attacks by stone throwing yobs.

As reported in the Bolton Evening News, bus company First has scrapped services for the next seven nights in protest against the young vandals who repeatedly throw stones and other missiles at the buses.

It means residents in Madams Wood Road and Kenyon Way have no public transport service after 6pm until the next day, effectively making some of them prisoners in their own homes.

Police and representatives of First will hold talks with local councillors on Monday.

Little Hulton Cllr Doris Fernandez said: "I've got every sympathy for people who can not go out for the next week because of some young people. It's terrible and my heart goes out to them.

"It's a sad fact of life that some young people don't appreciate buses are a public service.

"The vandalising of buses involves tremendous cost and, more importantly, it means a driver or passenger could be seriously injured.

"It's a terrible situation and it's not fair to decent people who then have to find alternative transport, if they can, or walk.

"It's quite a long distance between Little Hulton and Walkden, especially if you have children or if you're elderly.

"People are being kept in their own homes because of a certain few young people who don't care and it really annoys me."

Chief Insp Jon Faulkner of Swinton police said: "It is unfortunate that all members of the community have to suffer at the hands of a mindless few.

"We believe the children responsible for this behaviour are local to Little Hulton and if anyone sees them misbehaving or damaging any property they should report it immediately and help us identify who they are."