Brigton and Hove is getting 24 new double-deckers - each named after a character from the area's history.

Scores of buses on the streets have already been named after famous people in a move which has proved popular with the public.

New names include royalty, a surgeon, film pioneers, designers, a cricketer and a transport expert.

Former Argus theatre critic Jack Tinker is one of them. Tinker, who later went to the Daily Mail, continued to live in Brighton until his early death. There is a memorial to him in St Nicholas churchyard.

Others include Eugenius Birch, who designed the original Brighton Aquarium in 1872.

The Lawrence sisters, Penelope, Dorothy and Millicent, who founded Roedean School at its original location in 1885 in Lewes Crescent, are also on the list.

Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company managing director Roger French said: "Since we started the practice of naming buses two years ago the response from the public has been fantastic.

"The idea has generated so much interest and we have received many suggestions to keep us going for a few years to come. It's been a hard job selecting this year's names from the nominations sent in."

The new buses will run on the Metro Line 5, which runs from Hangleton to Patcham and Hollingbury.

And if you're puzzled by some of the names, here's a guide to the rest of them:

THOMAS ATTREE: Clerk to the Brighton Commissioners (1810-23). Lived at Attree Villa, Queen's Park, later the Xaverian College, now demolished.

SIR JOHN CORDY BURROWS: Distinguished surgeon who settled in Brighton in the 1830s and was mayor three times. A statue in his honour stands by the Royal Pavilion.

CAROLINE OF BRUNSWICK: The Prince Regent's wife (after his invalid marriage to Maria Fitzherbert), whose name was given to the Brunswick area of Hove.

QUEEN CHARLOTTE: The Queen referred to in the pub The King and Queen in Marlborough Place. She was George III's wife.

CAPTAIN FREDERICK COLLINS: Operated pleasure sailing boats from Brighton beach. Two of his boats were lost at Dunkirk in 1940.

EARL OF EGREMONT: Helped to establish the Royal Sussex County Hospital in the 1820s.

SIR GEORGE EVEREST: Buried in St Andrew's Church, Church Road. Mount Everest is named after him. He was Surveyor General of India.

EDWIN FOWNES: Famous four-in-hand coachman (1851-1943) who served Brighton until retirement in 1916.

BARON GOLDSMID: Purchased the Wick Estate in 1830 and it was developed into Adelaide Crescent and Palmeira Square.

TREVOR MANN: Children's doctor who saved many premature babies. His far-sighted idea was the beginning of the special care baby unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

WILLIAM MARSH: General manager and engineer of Brighton Corporation from 1905 to 1939, all but four years of the tram system.

DAVID MOCATTA: Designed the original buildings of Brighton station, most of which remain behind modern facades, as well as the viaduct at Balcombe.

SAKE DEEN MAHOMED: Opened a vapour bath in 1786 on the site of the Queen's Hotel. In 1822 he was appointed shampooing surgeon to King George IV.

DAME ANNA NEAGLE: Actress who lived in Brighton for many years with her film director husband, Herbert Wilcox.

SIR RICHARD SACKVILLE: The Sackville family lived in Hangleton Manor for 300 years. Sir Richard was a cousin of Anne Boleyn and a Sussex MP.

GEORGE ALBERT SMITH: Early cine film pioneer who had a studio at St Ann's Well Gardens and whose short films were mainly shot in the area.

THOMAS TILLING: Born in Hendon in 1825, he developed horse then motor bus services in London. The company bearing his name started a Brighton operation in 1915 and survived until the formation of Brighton, Hove and District Buses in 1935.

JOHN VALLANCE: The Vallance family moved from Patcham to Hove in the 1780s and John built Hove Manor. The family were well known for their brewery in West Street.

JAMES WILLIAMSON: Early cine film pioneer who had a studio at St Ann's Well Gardens. He invented a practical type of colour cine film.

JOHN WISDEN: Born in Brighton in 1826, he played cricket for Sussex from 1845 to 1863. He first published the cricketers' almanac from 1864.

KING WILLIAM IV: Came to the throne in 1830 and renewed the royal connection with Brighton after George IV. His queen, Adelaide, already has a bus named after her.