A DISABLED pensioner says she has been left isolated and depressed after a transport link was cut because of financial constraints.

Judith Reed left her home for the first time this week since Christmas Eve, the day the Ring a Ride service had to be cancelled after a Darlington Borough Council subsidy was removed.

It had provided a taxi service for elderly and disabled residents to the shops, the hospice and the hospital.

Mrs Reed, 68, had polio as a child. She had used the service as her only means of getting into town, to meet friends and to get to the doctor.

But Ring a Ride was cancelled when the subsidy was withdrawn as part of town hall budget cuts.

Last week, Mrs Reed was able to find a suitable taxi to take her to the supermarket.

But demands on the company's time mean she will not be able to receive the same level of service as she did with Ring a Ride. She will also pay more.

"I am sure there will have been a lot of other miserable people over Christmas, " she said.

"It was awful. I couldn't go anywhere and I was very, very depressed. I didn't seem to have any future. At least now I can get to the shop every fortnight, so I have a bit of my life back.

"It is your right to be able to do your own shopping. It feels like we are being pushed into our own homes."

The charity behind Ring a Ride is now trying to raise enough money to be able to restore the service.

Vivienne Bailey, chief executive of Darlington and District Youth and Community Association (DDYCA), said people had been left housebound by the removal of the service.

She added: "The service we used to provide cost the council £46,000. If we can get just half of that we could provide one bus and we could continue to offer something in Darlington, because there is nothing else."

Darlington Borough Council said the Ring a Ride service was too expensive per user to maintain against the level of savings it needs to find, and some of the money saved by withdrawing it has been put back into creating personalised packages to meet the needs of regular users.

DDYCA is holding a fundraising team challenge at High Force Activity Centre, near Barnard Castle, on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19.

The cost is £2,000 per team of four, which includes accommodation, all activities and food.

For more information, call 0844-225-0770.