Use it, or lose it! That was the message to hundreds of youngsters today who have abandoned a bus service they had battled to get.

A free bus service has been set up throughout the summer holiday after youngsters claimed it was too difficult to get to Basildon's Festival Leisure Park.

Management at the park forked out £1,000 for the trial service - only to have it run empty for two weeks.

Park manager Warren Blanchfield today issued the warning to school children who campaigned for the service to be set up.

He said: "If the bus continues to run nearly empty as it has done, we will not be looking to install the service on a permanent basis. We would be happy to look into it if it was being used, but it isn't."

The bus is to run every Tuesday through the school holidays between the park and the town centre.

If the service turns out to be a huge success, it could be kept as a long-term service.

On the first week though, just half a dozen people used the free Thamesway service, and just 20 on the second occasion.

The park, which has proved a massive success with night owls, is working hard to pull in more visitors during the day.

Mr Blanchfield said: "It is terrible. If people are not going to use it through the holidays, they are not going to use it at all.

"Schoolchildren have been lobbying the council to get something set up. We are offering the perfect opportunity which is free of charge and brings customers literally to our door. It is diabolical.

"It is lucky in a way. We could have spent out £100,000 for a full service and then realised it was not needed. There is no point us paying out the money for something which is not required."

Buses leave the park from outside the UCI cinema every quarter past and quarter to the hour, from 10am to 5pm. The trial is due to finish on August 31.

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