PENSIONERS are praying Preston council does not leave them housebound by whipping away their bus passes.

The cash-strapped authority could change or even scrap bus travel benefits for the elderly in a drastic attempt to cut spending. The scheme costs £1.9 million a year, taking up 10 per cent of the total council budget.

Some 11,000 over-70s rely on passes for free travel while 6,000 over-60s get half-price fares. Pensioners pay £2 for the pass - a fee which doubled in April and will rise again next year.

For Peggy Borwick, a 68-year-old from Ribbleton, cheap travel is a life-line. She uses her pass every day to shop, go to the hospital, see family and friends and even enjoys trips to Blackpool.

Peggy said: "It's amazing how many old folk use buses. Many take flasks to the seaside, sit on the beach and get some fresh air.

"Without my pass I couldn't afford to go out and there are many worse off who have difficulty walking. We've paid tax and stamps all our lives and fought for our country. We deserve and need this benefit."

Council leader Peter Rankin said he didn't want to make changes but if auditors advise him to think again in a few months, he may have to review the scheme.

He said: "If changes were to take place, we would consult the public and also make sure we were receiving value for money from the bus companies.

"If we don't act now we may have to scrap the scheme in years to come anyway. We have to get expenditure down."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.