A travel firm has stepped in to save Brighton and Hove's coach station and transform its seafront location.

Shoreham-based Heritage Travel has agreed to take on Pool Valley Coach Park in Brighton in partnership with the city Council.

The company, which will run its coaches from the station, has revealed plans to install better lighting, toilets, security cameras, cycle racks and a cycle-hire facility.

Refreshments will be on offer for passengers and staff will man a help desk, revitalising the station, which has suffered from years of neglect.

Heritage's operations director Jon Ireland, said: "We intend to return Pool Valley to a premier location, where passengers have all the necessary facilities, information and friendly faces they need to plan their journey in confidence."

Coach users were left shocked and angry when previous owner Howard Trevette announced the station's abrupt closure in January.

He decided to close after losing the franchise to sell National Express tickets.

Mr Trevette said the station, built in 1929, was no longer commercially viable for ticket sales.

He blamed the council for not offering enough financial support to improve facilities.

Many city leaders feared the closure would be a blow to tourism.

Pool Valley was used by 800,000 people a year travelling to and from the city centre.

But the station became a magnet for vandals and poor lighting made many people feel unsafe when walking through the area at night.

Heritage Travel is working with the council, which owns the site, about the best way to improve Pool Valley and encourage people back to coach travel.

The full cost of the development has not been finalised but it is hoped the station will be up and running again by the summer.

Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "We are about to embark on a new era of partnership for Pool Valley, which is great news for local people and tourism.

"I am particularly pleased we have reached a deal with an energetic local company, which shares our ambitions for the city."

Heritage Travel will take on the leasehold of the site and run excursions across Britain.