THIS beautifully decorated vehicle is the only one of its kind operating in East Lancashire.

The Pakistani-style bus made its first appearance on the streets of Blackburn at Eid.

And now it is set to be a popular addition at weddings and other special occasions.

Truck artists in Pakistan are highly renowned for their skills and expertise, but it is rare for such a vehicle to be shipped to the UK.

The owners, Shazad and Imran Akhtar, said the whole project took more than 18 months to complete.

Imran said: “We wanted to add something to our wedding car hire fleet and felt this area really needed something like this.

“Wherever it goes it turns heads and causes a traffic jam! It has had a very warm welcome from people of all communities who just have to have a picture with it and want to have a look inside.

“It was not easy but the final result really takes your breath away.

“We built the whole bus from scratch with dedicated designers and craftsmen in Pakistan.

“We were getting e-mails every day about any changes and updates.”

Each part of the vehicle is decorated differently, with variations depending on the regional style.

Although the decorative process is usually very expensive, it is still practiced throughout Pakistan as well as a few other countries.

It transports up to 14 passengers, has a top speed of 70mph and is driven by a HGV driver who has previous experience of operating one of these vehicles in Pakistan.

Shazad added: “It meets all safety standards and is fully UK compliant with seat belts for every passenger.

“It is fully registered with the DVLA and totally road legal.

“It came via a container, which was the easiest way to bring it over.”

For further information on the ‘Punjabi bus’ call Shazad on 07971 101 271.