Getting to school will be a nightmare for children with the cancellation of a bus service, claim parents.

They say the removal of the 652 service, operated by First Bradford, will cause major problems for pupils at St Mary's Comprehensive School in Menston.

Caroline Hyde's 11-year-old son Andrew is due to join the school in September.

"He's going to have a lot of trouble getting to school and so are lots of other kids in Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale," said Mrs Hyde, 36, of Brighton Road, Ben Rhydding. "We wanted to check out the route well in advance and Andrew and some of his friends were going to have a trial run. But when we looked into it we realised the bus which St Mary's pupils normally use has been pulled.''

Now the only bus available to the children is the 733 service, operated by First Leeds, which means they will either get to school half an hour early or with minutes to spare.

First Bradford said there was no chance of the 652 service being reinstated.

Khadim Hussain, operations director, said: "I would have thought the 8.35am service, run by First Leeds, is sufficient to get the children to school," he said.

"Unfortunately we are not in a position to operate a bus service on that route."