EMMA Stockwell was thrilled when she gained a place at Ridgeway School but she cannot attend because there is no room on the buses.

The same situation applies to 71 other pupils who live outside the catchment area and rely on privileged bus passes provided by the council.

The special passes, which cost £50 a term, are being scrapped in September because of increased demand for bus seats by pupils living in the area entitling them to free transport.

Many of the pupils affected live in West Swindon, where local schools Greendown and Bradon Forest are both virtually full.

They were previously able to travel on spare seats available on one of the buses that run from West Swindon to Wroughton. But a reorganisation means a double decker bus will be taken away from the route from September.

Jane Perrott, Emma's mother, said: "If we had known the buses were full, we would never have chosen this school. It's crazy the council didn't tell us."

Parents of children already attending Ridgeway School were last week informed of the withdrawal.

The warning advised parents to start making alternative arrange- ments which would mean taking a detour into the town centre. Parents of primary school children who selected The Ridgeway in Wroughton as their first choice are furious that they were kept in the dark about the cuts.

Mrs Perrott said: "Now it's too late to apply to other schools because they are all full. So my daughter has been left high and dry. There is no room at the schools or on the buses it's a nightmare situation."

Emma, 10, who lives in Freshbrook currently attends Westlea Primary and is due to start at Ridgeway in September.

Mrs Perrott said: "We know of seven other pupils at Emma's school who are in exactly the same position. Last month we were over the moon that Emma got a place. Now we're beginning to regret applying there."

Ridgeway School did not know about the transport cuts until a parent faxed a copy of the letter, attached to the summer term pass renewal form, to the deputy head Chris Walton. Mr Walton said: "We are very concerned about this situation. Getting children to and from school so they can continue their education is our priority and I am writing to the parents affected to inform them we are taking action."

He said he is arranging a meeting with the council's transport manager to discuss possible solutions.

He said: "We want to resolve this and have made inquiries into the feasibility of informing parents of the option of a private bus service."