COACH-BUILDERS Plaxton, which was saved after facing closure in May, has received a lifeline £5m order in the week it restarted.

The Scarborough company, now known as New Plaxton and owned by Transbus, has had to shed 500 of its 700 workforce to survive, but, within days of the company being re-launched last week, it was announced that Lex Transfleet of Coventry has placed an order for 74 coaches.

Kevin Wood, head of coach sales, said yesterday: "It is excellent news, and underpins everything we are trying to do.

"We have proved that we can build coaches which can match the best of our European competitors."