A TRANENT business owner who cleaned bus shelters in and around the town went a step further when he visited a local ambulance depot to wash the cars of ambulance staff.

Lewis Ward, 22, owner of Saltire Mobile Valeting, visited the Haddington depot, located behind the town’s Tesco on Lydgait, on May 15.

Lewis says he is now known locally as “the bus stop guy”, after an article about him cleaning bus shelters around Tranent, Ormiston, Elphinstone and Macmerry appeared in the Courier a few weeks ago.

Lewis visited the depot and started washing staff members’ cars without warning.

He said: “I went down and asked someone where the car park was for staff cars and they said it was round the corner. So I went round, pulled all the things out of the van and started washing them.

“I think the manager then came out and asked what was going on and what I was doing, and I told her I was showing my appreciation and saying thank you for all of the hard work they do.

“She said it was a really nice thing to do and asked if I needed anything. When I was done she asked if we could take some photos and they would bring the ambulances over.”

Lewis has dubbed his recent gesture his own version of the 8pm Clap for Carers and his own way of showing his appreciation.

The former Ross High School pupil said: “It took me a few weeks to get things sorted but was well worth the wait to see some very happy faces.

“It felt so much more rewarding than the bus stops. I think it was getting to see the workers face to face and say thank you.

“It is what they all deserve. All of the guys at the depot were fairly chuffed.

“I even got a couple of messages from some of the guys at the depot afterwards to say thank you.”

He added: “It’s got a good response on social media from people.

“Doing it all has actually made me busier. That wasn’t the plan, though – I just did it off my own back and to say thank you.”

He cleaned nine cars in total, using the same method as that for the bus shelters; covering the cars in snow foam, brushing it in and washing it off.

All of the vehicles received the full treatment, including getting tyres polished, the car waxed and alloys cleaned.

He has now reopened his business but is working half shifts and cleaning the van after every car, with the van also getting a deep clean every weekend.