RESIDENTS in Jericho were "delighted" to welcome their newly-saved bus service but warned the rest of the community to get on board to prevent it from the axe in future.

The number 17 bus between Oxford and Cutteslowe via Jericho was withdrawn by Stagecoach but a last minute reprieve by Thames Travel produced an amended service just for Jericho residents.

At this stage the bus company has said it is only a trial so regular users are urging people to us the service.

Margaret Donaldson, who turned 92 this week, threatened to throw away her "useless" bus pass in November when the cuts to 118 services were announced.

The great-grandmother said: "I'm so pleased. I use the bus every day and rely on it.

"I can walk into town but don't think I could do both journeys there and back - without this service we would have been stuck in Jericho.

"I only hope people will use it now to keep it going - it's a case of use it or lose it.”

The former Morris Plant switchboard worker, whose husband Ian died 40 years ago, added: "I'm worried because we have lost many people who got on the bus at Cutteslowe - they now don't have a service and it means there are fewer people on the bus.

"But it's been busy since the changes so I'm hopeful."

Bus companies have been forced to end and change services due to the loss of subsidies from Oxfordshire County Council, which axed the payments to the 118 service as part of a £3.7m savings package.

Several routes have been saved but only in the short-term to see whether routes are viable following the cuts.

Anne Mobbs, who runs Alive and Kicking in Jericho which represents the over 50s, said it was more important than ever the service was used.

She said: "The bus is vital to so many people in Jericho and we have campaigned long and hard for it be saved so we are delighted.

"It would have terrible if it went. There is a big problem with elderly people being isolated in the city and county and we need our bus services.

"We have been urging more people to use the bus as it's still under threat."

Communications manager for Thames Travel Edmund Tresham said: "We have worked very hard to keep as many routes as possible going and we are so pleased to have been to save the 17.

"The initial cuts announced in November would have had a huge impact but we have come a long way since then.

"But this is still very much on a trial basis and we hope to see it well used."

City councillor for Jericho, Susanna Pressel, said: "It runs on a restricted timetable, on a shorter route and not at the weekend, but it is still a godsend for many people in Jericho, who rely on it to get into town and back with their heavy shopping.

"Now we are celebrating the start of the new service but we are fearful for its future. It is running for six months initially, while they judge whether it is financially viable with no subsidy.

"I hope that will encourage lots of people to use it."