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A 103-year-old Sutton-in-Ashfield man was given a big surprise on his birthday when a bus freshly named after him pulled up outside his home.

Stanley Drabble and his wife are regulars on trentbarton’s threes service so the team behind the bus route decided to lay on a special service, including a themed birthday cake, for one of their favourite customers.

The couple get on board a threes bus up to six times a week and Stanley used to run a newsagent at Low Moor Road that was on the route.

trentbarton’s Sutton-in-Ashfield team clubbed together for the £100 donation to trentbarton’s Namesake charity fundraising initiative to name a bus in Stanley’s honour.

Stanley Drabble with the threes bus named after him

Stanley has been travelling on trentbarton buses – and before that Trent and Trent Motor Traction – for decades and knows the timetable inside out.

Perry Jest, the threes team leader, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to be able to present Stanley with one of our new threes buses named in his honour, to show our appreciation of his loyal custom that stretches over many decades.

“Everyone from trentbarton wishes Stan a very happy 103rd birthday and we look forward to him taking many more trips with us.”

Each £100 donated to name a trentbarton bus goes into its Namesake appeal, which was started in 1991 to raise funds for Derby's breast cancer unit. More than £100,000 was raised and donations now go to trentbarton's chosen charity, which currently is Alzheimer’s Research UK.

To find out more go to: trentbarton.co.uk/namesake.

Birthday bus surprise for Sutton's Stanley, 103