Raymond Briggs: Sussex coastal bus named after illustrator

A bus has been named after The Snowman illustrator Raymond Briggs.

The Brighton & Hove Buses coastal service will run between Brighton and Eastbourne in the area where the famous artist and writer used to live.

Briggs lived near Westmeston in East Sussex before his death in 2022 aged 88.

A family statement said Briggs would be "thrilled" that his bus would be "travelling around the Sussex countryside he loved, a landscape depicted in so many of his wonderful books".

Raymond Briggs is most famous for creating The Snowman in 1978.

It was turned into a Bafta award-winning animated TV film four years later.

He is also well-known for illustrating Fungus the Bogeyman, When the Wind Blows and Ethel & Ernest amongst many others.

His books have sold over 8.5m copies worldwide in 24 languages.

In 2017 Briggs worked with Brighton & Hove Buses to create The Snowman bus in the city.

An exhibition of his work is on display at Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft until 22 December.

Ed Wills, managing director at the bus company, said: "Through his exceptional writing and illustrative skills, his works continue to delight millions of readers of all ages around the world."