Bus passengers at a busy town centre stop now have a warmer and drier wait after councillors carried out a fund-raising drive.

Cromer Town Council had no money in its tightening budget for the �4,400 shelter that was being requested by local people – but members vowed to try to provide it anyway by rolling up their sleeves and generating the money themselves.

The target was helped by a �2,865 Norfolk County Council grant, but was then topped up by a horse-racing night organised by town and district councillor John Lee at the town's Cottage pub, �500 given by the local Castaways singing group when they saw publicity about the appeal in the Press, and a string of other smaller donations from various sources.

The shelter, outside the town museum in Church Street, was officially opened on Friday by mayor Yvonne Nolan, who praised the efforts of councillors in achieving the fundraising.

Before the museum, and public area in front of it, were redeveloped during regeneration bus travellers used to wait in the former Henry Blogg shelter, which was demolished in 1998.

Castaways member and bus traveller Johnny Brown said: 'I sit here most mornings waiting for a bus so I know what it is like without a shelter.'

Mr Lee said it was unusual for councils to do their own fundraising but it showed 'what you can do if you set your minds to it'.