A £200,000 appeal to improve a charity travel scheme in Malvern has met with a disappointing response.

Since Dial-A-Ride launched the appeal in August to expand its door-to-door transport service for people with temporary or permanent disabilities, it has only raised about £9,000.

The service is run by the Plynlimon Trust and offers a wheelchair accessible minibus service with care assistants for people who are unable to use public transport.

The average cost of a journey to users is £4.

General manager Carol Grant said they still had a long way to go.

"It's quite a challenge and I think part of the problem is that people don't appreciate and understand how important the Dial-A-Ride service is to people," she said.

"I was talking to a lady last week who lives in a rural area and she said that if it wasn't for Dial-A-Ride she wouldn't be able to get out at all.

"We've even had people working on Christmas Day to get people over to their relatives, husbands or wives, who are in hospitals or nursing homes.

"I'm just hoping that by renewing our efforts in the New Year we'll be able to draw more people's attention to the service."

Mrs Grant said the service was also on the look out for more volunteers.

Dial-A-Ride was launched in Malvern in October 1999 as a joint venture between the Plynlimon trust and Malvern Town Council, as an enhanced replacement for the travel token scheme.