A family-run bus company known for its two-tone blue livery has closed after almost 50 years following the retirement of its directors.

Kent Coach Tours has been transporting residents and pupils across the county since it was founded in the mid-1970s.

It has operated from its headquarters opposite the Ellingham Industrial Estate in Malcolm Sargent Road, Ashford.

The company was originally set up by Lydd-on-Sea resident David Farmer.

The 84-year-old then transferred ownership of the business to his two sons, Andrew and Brian, when he retired in January 2014.

Brian says it has been an emotional decision to wave goodbye to the operator's passengers and their 11 vehicles.

"It’s with sadness Andrew and I would like to inform you we’re closing down Kent Coach Tours,” he said.

"It’s the right time for us to seek new ventures before we’re too old.

"Thank you so much for being loyal and allowing us to take you on your travels.

"And all the school children that have been so well behaved over the years."

The 57-year-old acknowledges his father's diagnosis of dementia and its treatment costs have contributed to the decision.

He continued: "I’d just like to pay tribute to my dad, David Farmer, who started the company up who now sadly is in a care home with dementia.

"Thanks dad - I hope we made you proud."

Speaking to transport magazine, Route One, Mr Farmer added: "We’ve never lost focus of the fact that, for some reason, most coach operators work until they’re old and die on the job. We just didn’t want to do that.

“I’ve been involved in the business with my dad since I was eight years old and I’m now nearly 60.”

“Our bus services were coming up for tender and we didn’t want to do them for the sake of doing them, [and] not being able to operate and be able to replace those vehicles every three or four years because there wasn’t enough money in it. That’s how it was getting.

“We found with all these big organisations, one of the things is they want you to carry on working for them for a couple of years.

“We’ve done it for so long how we’ve done it, always maintaining the vehicles to a high standard and we didn’t want that to change.”

The company's routes included the 113 line which took passengers from the town centre to Washford Farm, Chartfields and Knights Park.

It also ran the 125 service to Cheesman's Green, Mersham and Aldington.

Both services have now been transferred to fellow operator, Stagecoach.

Meanwhile, school routes and private hires run by Kent Coach Tours have now also been terminated.