A Mid Wales mother is having to drive one of her children six miles to school while the other is given a free place on a school bus.

Mum Amanda Morgan, from Llangadfan, says she is angry and upset about the inconvenience and extra pollution caused by the two youngsters, aged 11 and nine, having to take separate forms of transport for their lessons.

Powys County Council said it did not have all the facts when sorting out school transport for the family and has promised to look again at the issue.

The row blew up after a council official said that while 11-year-old Jessica was entitled to use a free school bus to Llanfair Caereinion High School, nine-year-old Matthew, who goes to Llanfair’s primary school, would have to pay £70 a term to catch the same bus.

Mrs Morgan said: “I was told it was because we had chosen to send Matthew to Llanfair and not to one of the two nearer primary schools at Llangadfan or Llanerfyl.

“The trouble is that they are both Welsh medium schools and Llanfair is actually the nearest English medium school.

“We haven’t got anything against Welsh education – my husband is from South Wales – but Matthew is dyslexic and just could not cope in a Welsh medium school.”

Mrs Morgan added that she had become more ann-oyed when she was informed that if it had been the other way round, and they had chosen to send Matthew to a Welsh medium school, he would have been entitled to free transport.

“It just doesn’t seem right to us, particularly when there are spare places on the bus to Llanfair every day.

“We are always being told not to make unnecessary car journeys and help save the planet, but the fact is we can’t afford to pay £70 a term for Matthew to go on the bus and it’s cheaper for me to take him in the car,” she said.

A spokesman for Powys County Council said the decision on transport for Matthew had been made on the information provided by Mr and Mrs Morgan, which had not included details about his dyslexia.

“If they would like to resubmit an application, including all the relevant information, it will be reconsidered. We can only make decisions on information provided,” he said.

By Deborah Knox