A father is furious after his severely-disabled daughter was left on a school mini-bus for nearly seven hours.

Eighteen-year-old Asma Shah has the mental age of a three-year-old and cannot speak or do most things for herself.

But her daily journey to school turned into a nightmare when no-one spotted that she had been left on the bus, and she spent all day stuck in a rear seat at the depot barely 100 yards from her home in Wightman Street, off Otley Road.

Asma had been put on the bus as normal with four other students at 8.15am for the journey to Chapel Grange Special School on Rhodesway, Bradford.

But when it got there, instead of being helped off by the driver, the escort or a teacher, she was left on the bus until it returned to school at 3pm, when a teacher eventually spotted her.

By the time Asma arrived home she was in tears and deeply traumatised by the experience.

Part-time magistrate and driving instructor Shamsher Shah, 47, Asma's father, said she had been driven back to the depot on Otley Road, owned by Wrose Travel, who are contracted by West Yorkshire Transport Services to carry out this service, and left there all day.

Mr Shah and his wife, Nargas, were shocked when they were phoned by headteacher Hilary Morrison.

He believes the school should have got in touch to ask why Asma was absent. He said: "They should know that we normally telephone to tell them if she is not coming to school. No one rang to say she wasn't coming so the school should have been a little more careful and rung us. If they had done, we would have realised much sooner that there was a problem."

An investigation is under way by transport service bosses.

Mr Shah said: "There should be some kind of punishment for those involved. They are not fit to do the job and they might do the same thing to a different person."

He also called for a register to be taken to stop anything like this happening again.

Edward Jackson, company secretary for Wrose Travel, said: "We do not feel that the driver should be suspended. He has been taken off the route and disciplinary procedures are being put in place.

"It is embarrassing and we will make sure that it doesn't happen in future."

The headteacher of Chapel Grange Special School, Hilary Morrison, refused to answer any direct questions, but did issue a statement which said: "The health and safety of all pupils attending Chapel Grange School is held as a priority of the staff and Governors.

"The unfortunate incident that occurred has prompted the headteacher and Governing Body to review the policies and procedures that are in place to ensure that they remain appropriate and do not require amendment. Any adjustment that is required will have immediate effect."

Geoff Binnington, WYTS contract manager, said: "A full and joint investigation is being held into this unfortunate incident, involving WYTS, which employs a Special Educational Needs escort for this school run; West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, which contracts the bus company and driver and Chapel Grange School."