Twins in school transport row

Katie and Sophie are both pupils at The Causeway School in Eastbourne, which meets special needs the girls have had since early childhood, including mild learning disabilities and speech difficulties.

That means a daily trip from their home in Chantry Avenue, Bexhill, to their school and back - for which the county council education authority has organised a taxi.

Mr and Mrs Dean, both full-time carers for their daughters, used freedom of information legislation to discover that this costs the council - and thus local taxpayers - 88 a day.

Mr Dean said: "We offered to take the girls to and from school ourselves for 25 a day, but the council has turned us down and instead offered a mileage rate that simply doesn't cover our costs."

His wife added: "We're trying to save them money, but we're stuck with an impasse.

"We've also been told that there's no place for the girls at St Mary's School, which is ironically just 500 yards from our home.

"Both Roger and I have been ill with the stress of it all, and we've now told the council we'll keep the girls out of school until it's sorted. It's just a crazy situation to be in."

A spokesman for East Sussex County Council said: "The family asked to take responsibility for getting their children to school and as a result the taxi arrangements have been cancelled.

"We have offered to pay a mileage allowance in line with our home to school transport policy.

"We have to work within that policy and the allowance framework which is designed to be fair to all parents."