THERE is a new owner for one of Worcestershire's best known coach companies.

Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel of Henley-in-Arden has officially now taken over Whittles Coaches of Kidderminster. Johnsons acquired the historic Whittles Coach brand from Yorkshire based EYMS Group, which has owned the once family run firm for more than 10 years.

Whittles will continue to operate from the Kidderminster site at Foley Park and the branding of the company will not change. Neither will its business in coach hire, day excursions and coach holidays. There will be continue to be 10 local boarding points in Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Bewdley and Stourport on Severn.

Peter Johnson, director of Johnsons, said: "Established for more than 86 years in 2015, the Whittles name has long stood for top quality coach travel with friendly service and we are determined for this to continue, under the new ownership of Johnsons Coach Travel. We are also delighted to announce that we have secured the services of 16 of the staff, including Dee, Sue and Kerry in the sales office, three of the workshop staff and all 10 of the full time tours driver team. So there will be a lot of familiar friendly faces about."

Johnsons Coach Travel dates back more than 105 years and is an award winning, family business specialising in top quality escorted door to door holidays plus day excursions, coach hire and tailor-made tours for groups. The company belongs to the Guild of British Coach Operators and is Coach Marque accredited - the only universally recognised kite mark of quality in the UK coach industry.