Yorkshire Forward look set to blow the whistle on funding at the end of March, claiming the Rotherham Community Transport (RCT) journeys no longer fall into its remit.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is getting on board to rescue the service in other parts of the borough, but the Rother Valley South area is not a priority.

Now hundreds of elderly and disabled users – who cannot otherwise travel – face being left virtually housebound, unless cash is found by next spring.

"You can't explain how much it means to people," said Ida Atkin, secretary at Harthill's Peregrine Way Centre.

"The buses round here are only every two hours, and people in wheelchairs can't get out shopping on their own. It stops them being so isolated and ostracised."

The sheltered accommodation complex has been using the service for three years, and the regular trips light up the lives of dozens of residents.

"We've been to Nottingham, to Lincoln, Manchester, Chesterfield, Barnsley. For you to see their faces when that bus turns up, it's marvellous."

Parish councils across our area have written in support of RCT's work, and community links co-ordinator Dave Cooper has been praised by many groups like the Peregrine Way Centre.

"The Dial-A-Ride and Shoppa Bus, and all the rest, do 13,000 journeys in the rural south of Rotherham alone," said Mr Cooper. "There are social visits, hospital visits, journeys to colleges and nursing homes to visit relatives or for respite care."

"To deliver the project, it only costs £100,000 a year. And for that you get two dedicated buses for the area, plus we can draw on a whole fleet so we never turn anyone away. It also pays for access to the RCT centre and two staff."

Rotherham councillor Jenny Whysall said: "In our Assembly we have 11 parishes, and then there are all the rest of the southern fringe areas of the borough. With lots of rural communities around here, it's even more important than in bigger townships."

"Without it, not only can they not get to bigger places, they can't move around amongst the communities they live in and identify with, so it's doubly important. They can't go and use their free bus passes, and there's a lot of people who are going to miss it terribly."

Laughton Parish Council vice chairman Trevor Stanway added: "If there's no financial input, it will cease on 1st April next year. There will be no more RotherRide services, so all those people that need it, to go shopping for example, will be stuck. Parish councillors and ward councillors and residents need to raise the issue to try and protect the service."

Yorkshire Forward's rural delivery cashpot has helped build the service to what it is today.