A FATHER of two schoolgirls says his children have missed their first days back at school as the bus stop they used was removed from the route.

The girls, aged 10 and 11, did not return to West Moors School in Ferndown for the start of the new academic year.

The children's father Lee Nevitt, who is disabled, says he is unable to accompany his daughters to the new stop 0.6m miles away.

Previously the girls got the bus from the Church Road stop, which was taken off the new timetable.

Mr Nevitt has diabetic autonomic neuropathy.

He says his disability limits his movement and the journey to the new stop was too dangerous for the girls to make alone.

"I feel almost like I have been discriminated because of my disability," Mr Nevitt said.

"We had small issues last year and it took one phone call to sort."

"The girls love school and they get good grades. I feel guilty about them not being there."

Mr Nevitt, whose wife works as a carer away from home for days at a time, says they had only discovered the revised bus route five days before the start of the new term.

They immediately got in contact with the bus provider, Damory, and were told to speak with Dorset County Council.

Chris Hook, Dorset County Council’s Dorset travel team manager, said: "We are dealing with this request to change the route and are talking directly with the family.

"We’ve communicated the changes to all school transport routes through letters to parents, schools, media outlets and social media throughout the summer.

"We’ve encouraged parents to check the new routes and bus stops and to raise any issues before the start of term."