As Sidmouth’s popular Hopper Bus service launches this weekend, organisers have warned visitors and locals to ‘use it or lose it’.

From Saturday (May 25) until September 1, the bus will ferry people across the town with new routes, and for the first time, operate during Sidmouth Folk Festival.

At Sidmouth Town Council on Monday, the scheme's co-ordinator Councillor Kelvin Dent stressed it was not just tourists who could benefit from the service.

Cllr Dent said: "It's not just for visitors it's for locals as well. There are super walks into Sidmouth if you take the bus to the Donkey Sanctuary then you can walk back or you can go up to Mutters Moor and walk along there.

"People can also go to the Beacon Medical Centre and Waitrose. As we always say, use it or lose it."

For the 2019 season the bus will run for 100 days altogether, an additional eight than in previous years, as it will be offering a reduced service during the folk festival.

Passengers will have more routes to hop on and off at. ]

These include buses to King's Garden Centre eight times a day. On the way there, the bus will head through the town centre stopping at All Saints Road, Temple Street and Woolbrook to the garden centre. The bus will then carry on the route into Sidford to The Donkey Sanctuary and caravan parks, before returning to town along Salcombe Hill Road.

The bus will continue to run its usual routes from the Triangle up to Mutter's Moor car park and back.

Residents needing to get to the Beacon Medical Centre will be able to use the service as the bus will drop off near Waitrose on its route.

Operator Dartline will issue tickets allowing the council to know how many people are using the service. Tickets are priced at £1 an adult and 50 pence for dogs and children.

This year around 30 businesses have helped to sponsor the bus.