PASSENGERS are calling a bus stop in the Whitehall area of Darwen “the most useless in town”.

The bus stop, in Bolton Road, near the junction with Park Road, opposite Bargain Booze, has a red plastic bench sloping to the floor at a 45 degree angle, meaning people can only rest against it and shopping cannot be placed on it.

June Ellision of the Whitehall area, said: “This must be the most useless bench in Darwen.

“It also has no sides, so it is like a wind tunnel.”

One bus passenger who did not want to be named, said: “There was one time an old lady was perched on the bench, but her shoes must have slipped and she ended up on the floor.

“The bench is absolutely useless and inconvenient. The buses don’t come as often now so we have to wait around longer.”

Nathan Speak, 17, said: “I don’t think you can win because you get people moaning they can’t use it as a seat at the bus stop, but then they would complain if a load of drunken teenagers sat in it and congregated here at night.”

Bus stop owners Adshel were unavailable for comment.