A coach company is spraying elderly passengers with a herbal remedy to stop them snoring during day trips.

Bus drivers at Abbey Coachways in Sutton Coldfield complained the constant snoring of passengers drove them to distraction.

They said on some trips the drone of passengers who had dropped off after a tiring day's sightseeing drowned out the sound of the coach engine.

Now the company has introduced a strict anti-snoring policy, with customers whose noisy naps disturb others being given a dose of the herbal spray.

Pensioners drop off and make a real racket... the noise even drowns out the engine

Robin Huckle

Tour operator Robin Huckle said: "Pensioners on long distance trips are prone to dropping off and making a real racket.

"When you get three or four heavy snorers on the same coach the noise even drowns out the engine.

"And on a coach full of fifty people, if half of them drop off and start snoring it can be a real headache for the driver."

But coach company boss Mr Huckle found a sound solution to the noisy problem - thanks to a local company.

He said: "The company which makes the spray is based in Sutton Coldfield, like us, and they got in touch to see if I would give it a go.

"I tried it out myself and it worked so I kept it on board the coach and offered it to guests who were prone to snoring.

All the company's coaches are no-snoring zones

"Peace and quiet were restored and now we keep a bottle of the spray on each of our coaches."

Graham Carr-Smith, managing director of Helps Stop Snoring said: "Loud snoring in the confined space of a coach could be a real journey-wrecker so we are only too happy to help out."

Experts say snoring, caused by the soft palate moving back and foward as a person breathes in and out, is made worse by alcohol and sleeping tablets.

The spray, made to a secret recipe containing a blend of herbs and essential oils, works by making the tissue at the back of the throat taut, stopping it vibrating.