Staff from bus depots across the north east have raised £30,000 for nine local charities during the run up to Christmas.
Drivers at Stagecoach North East dressed as Santa Claus while on duty. Staff also handed out gifts, with the operator contributing to the fundraising total.
The money will be shared between Daisy Chain, Alice House Hospice, St Benedict’s Hospice, Children North East, Tiny Lives, CLIC Sargent, Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust, the Chronicle Sunshine Fund and Northumbria Blood Bikes.
Bus driver Neil English from Billingham, who has been a driver for 11 years, says: “It is an amazing amount of money that we collected over December and we would like to thank our passengers for giving as generously as they did on their travels and hope we made their journey a little more fun and festive.”