Villagers are celebrating the success of 'people power' after a bus company revised its timetable following a campaign.

First bus will be providing an hourly service to Hales, near Loddon, from the middle of April, having dramatically reduced the service earlier this year.

A campaign was launched to get the bus returned to the village, and the company has announced that it will offer a regular service again, as part of an improved service between Norwich and Lowestoft.

Laura Dawson, of School Lane, Hales, launched a petition after the number of times the X2 service visited the village was reduced. She said buses calling at Green Lane only every two hours had left some 'stranded'.

Mrs Dawson, 35, said: 'I am very pleased. It shows people power. I was very surprised by the level of support I received, with nearly 200 signatures.'

A public meeting was called for this Saturday, but this has now been postponed.

However, Mrs Dawson said she would continue to call for a bus stop on the A146, as there is still the concern that buses do not always stop outside the village when not due to call at Green Lane.

A spokesman for First said that the X2 service had been reviewed, with buses set to run between Norwich and Lowestoft, via Beccles, at least every 20 minutes Monday to Friday, from Monday, April 15. The service is currently every 30 minutes.

They said: 'As part of this increased timetable we are also very pleased to have been able to provide an hourly service to Hales, whilst still being able to offer faster journeys to and from Norwich.'