A FULL investigation has been launched after a vulnerable four-year-old boy with special needs was lost on an escorted home-to-school transport service in Radcliffe.

The child, who is non-verbal and on the autistic spectrum, was lost for almost an hour on the council-provided minibus service to Millwood Primary Special School on Tuesday October 6.

After being left behind as it dropped other children off at the school, he was found asleep on the bus in Little Lever and returned safe and well to the school shortly after 10am.

The boy, who has not been named, also suffers from pica, an eating disorder characterised by persistent and compulsive cravings to eat non-food items.

Bury Council has confirmed that the escort on the bus did not check whether any passengers were still on board as it left the school, in School Street.

They have now opened a full investigation into the escorted transport procedures and have already taken steps to ensure the incident is not repeated.

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that an incident did occur on Tuesday last week involving a four-year-old boy travelling by escorted transport to Millwood School. We have assured the parents and the school that we are taking this matter very seriously and initial measures have already been taken to avoid a re-occurrence of a similar incident.

“This incident was due to human error on the part of the escort who did not, but should have checked, if any passengers remained on board. We have reinforced the procedure and checks to be made at the end of each journey and a full investigation is underway.”

Helen Chadwick, headteacher at Millwood School, said: “I’m very proud of our school staff, who, through their quick thinking, were able to assist the transport team and help find the child safe and well as soon as possible.”

Bury Council is currently planning a shake-up of home to school transport for young people with special needs or disabilities, in order to comply with new laws requiring greater choice and flexibility.

Under the new system, the council would assess whether each person can travel independently, rather than being automatically offered home to school transport.

The consultation, run by Bury Parents Forum, is open until November 4. A survey can be found at buryparentsforum.org.uk.