Vulnerable child left locked up in minibus

The 10-year-old was among a group of pupils being transported by single-decker bus to Tettenhall Wood School in Wolverhampton at 8.45am on Wednesday.

But when the bus returned to the depot 30 minutes later one child was still on board.

The driver and an escort got off the bus and locked the doors on reaching the depot – seemingly unaware of the youngster's presence.

Last night Wolverhampton City Council confirmed two members of staff had been suspended and a full investigation had been launched.

Councillor Phil Page, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Learning, said: "Unfortunately, an incident occurred where a pupil from Tettenhall Wood School had been left on a minibus after all other students were dropped off on its normal morning journey.

"Our immediate concern was for the safety and welfare of the child, who was thankfully not injured or distressed by the incident.Two members of staff have been suspended and an investigation into the incident has been launched. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage."

Councillor Page added that the incident could lead to a change in the council's policies around safeguarding children.

"We are taking this matter very seriously as an authority and we need to be clear about precisely what happened," he said.

"It is difficult to see how two people could lose a child on board a single-decker bus.

"If that means we have to review our safeguarding policies then so be it."

Tettenhall Wood School on Regis Road provides education for 90 pupils aged between five and 19 with severe learning difficulties, many of whom have been diagnosed with autism.

Headteacher Mostyn Mohoney has refused to comment on the incident.

Tettenhall Wightwick Councillor Wendy Thompson, said: "I am completely shocked to hear that something like this could occur.

"For any child to be left on a bus and not noticed is just beyond my comprehension."