A WIDOWED mother of a child with behavioural problems says she does not know how she will get him to school this week, after education chiefs refused her bid for free transport.

Betty Faulkner, who lives in Dines Green, says that her nine-year-old son David will have to walk from their home to Riversides School in Barbourne's Thorneloe Road, because he does not qualify for free transport.

"I don't know how he's going to get there," said Mrs Faulkner, of Gresham Road.

"I go to work in the morning and I can't take him to school and be at work at the same time.

"They can't expect him to walk three miles there and back each day."

She claims another child who lives nearby is taken by taxi to the school and wants to know why her son is being treated differently.

"I've been everywhere to find help. The council says he hasn't got special needs, but he's got behavioural problems and is on medication to control it," said Mrs Faulkner.

"I'm totally on my own and I don't know where else I can go."

Worcestershire County Council has said that David does not have a Statement of Special Educational Needs and is therefore not entitled to council-provided transport.

"It's an unfortunate case," said transport co-ordinator Peter Roberts.

"David didn't meet the council's criteria for free transport. He's not a child with a Statement who lives in excess of the relevant walking miles."

Mr Roberts said that the council would continue to look at the case, and see if he would be able to claim a spare seat in transport that already goes to the school.

"There are no spare seats in the vehicle at the moment, and if there were, he would have to pay under the seat payment scheme," he added.

"This is a tragic case and we do sympathise but we're bound by the council's policy.

"We'll certainly be following it up."