Maesydre Primary School stranded by bus changes

Dozens of youngsters were stranded in Welshpool after the town's bus service failed to pick them up from school.

Staff at Maesydre Primary School were left 'frantically' trying to call parents in an attempt to get them home safely on Monday after not being told of bus changes.

Changes to Powys County Council's town bus service, which is now contracted to Owens Travel, left pupils unable to get to and from school.

The council said today it had been forced to axe one of the town's public service buses because of budget reductions. It means it can no longer pick pupils up from the junior school.

Suzanne Foster, headteacher at Maesydre, said it had been a 'chaotic day' and she had not been told about the change.

She said: "Firstly, many pupils were late for the first day of the new term because the bus route had been changed and then they were unable to get home.

"We had to contact parents and many were still at work. But we did not let any of the pupils leave on their own."

Mrs Foster said she was contacted in the summer term and asked if she could let pupils out of school earlier but refused and had heard nothing since.

John Evans, communications manager for Powys County Council, said efforts were made to inform all users. He said: "Timetable changes were advertised in advance of the changes."

By Anwen Evans