A disabled youngster has been denied free transport to school - because it's two miles too far.

Nine-year-old Patrick Garland has muscular distrophy and cannot walk, eat or wash himself without help.

His mum Patricia, 36, moved with Patrick and her other young son, three-year-old Martin, from their home in Bramley, Leeds, to Lower Grange, Bradford, last October.

Because of his disability, Patricia decided to keep Patrick at his old school, St Patrick's Roman Catholic school, in Pudsey, where staff have experience in catering for his needs and where he has an electric wheelchair.

But the single mum has been told that, because Patrick attends a school outside Bradford Education Authority, he is not entitled to disabled transport to the school, which, she says, he desperately needs.

Mrs Garland said: "I'm really at the end of my tether.

"I don't want to change Patrick's school because that's where all his friends are and to change him at this stage would be extremely upsetting for him.

"He's only got 18 months to go there and has built up a relationship with the teachers - there's no way I'd want to place him in a Bradford school now.

"It's a question now of whether this child is to battle on against his disease in surroundings he's comfortable with or is allowed to totally give up."

Mrs Garland has to physically carry her son over her shoulder into her car, before driving him 40 miles to and from the school, where he has an electric wheelchair which she says is too heavy to get into her car.

"How long can you carry a five-and-a-half stone boy in and out of the house?" she said.

"I haven't got the energy any more - I just need some help."

A Bradford Council education spokesman said Mrs Garland's travel expenses had been reimbursed since her move to Bradford and that education, social services and health officers were due to meet with her yesterday to discuss the best way to help her son.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.