A new bus route serving rural communities is being extended in the new year.

The Connect 1 was introduced by Go Coach last February to help journeys to Kent’s biggest shopping centre.

In the new year the service, which helps people travel from Longfield to Bluewater via Bean, will be stretched to cover Fleet Estate and Coombfield Drive in Dartford.

It comes as Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite’s aims to ensure local rural villages aren't left without public transport.

The service was created by the Tory councillor, Kent County Council and Go Coach last year using smaller buses to access tricky locations.

A spokeswoman for the local authority said: “With significant populations of elderly people, lacking buses has left them isolated but with the new service, getting out and about shall be made easier.”

The expansion will start on January 2.