Bus passengers in Witham have had to bear the brunt of the wettest autumn on record without a bus shelter.

The previous shelter, in Newland Street, was taken away by supplier Adshel two months ago because it was old and dangerous to the public.

And the move left regular users like Hilary Raffell, of London Road, Feering, out in the cold.

She said: "It is terrible to see some of the older ladies struggling with their shopping when it is pouring with rain."

A Braintree Council spokesman said Adshel supplied the shelter in return for selling advertising space on it, under an agreement which dated back to 1981.

He said: "Under the terms of the contract the company can take the shelter away if it is dangerous or being vandalised."

Brookes Newmark, prospective parliamentary candidate for Witham, said: "If the price we have to pay to protect pensioners and shoppers from the weather is some local advertising on bus shelters, then it is a price worth paying."

A spokesperson for Adshel confirmed they were in negotiations with the council to replace the shelter sometime in the future.

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