BUSES in Preston will soon be powered by cooking oil under a new environmental scheme.

Preston Bus is set to buy seven £300,000 state-of-the-art double-deckers, with the aid of a £1.4million grant from the European Union.

The buses, which have special engines, are adapted to run on a mix of diesel and cooking oil, that will charge batteries to ensure silent and clean running in town centres.

Preston is one of only seven cities across Europe that has been given the grant.

County councillor Jean Yates, portfolio holder for highways and transportation, said: "The success of this bid puts Preston among only a handful of European cities that are tackling transport in such a go-ahead way."

Peter Bell, director of Preston Bus, added: "The scheme is a major investment for us as well as our partners.

"The buses will be low-pollution while running on bio-diesel and completely pollution-free while running on batteries."