The mum of an autistic schoolboy said her son was "devastated" after his school banned him from joining classmates on a trip to the beach.

Laura Simpson said seven-year-old Sean, who also has ADHD, was only told the day before he hoped to join his peers at Leesons Primary on a trip to Broadstairs that he could not go because he needs special supervision.

Mrs Simpson said her son was so excited for the trip that he even arranged his outfit for the day and prepared his bucket and spade.

She said: “They should have done a risk assessment and it would have flagged up that he needed extra help.

“He had his bucket and spade, he had chosen his outfit. I said to the school I would come along and I would supervise him but they have said no.

“You can’t just say the day before, you can’t come with us because you’re autistic.

“He is devastated, he just clearly wasn’t welcome on the trip.”

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Leesons Primary School. Photo: Google maps

She added: “It is very hurtful to tell the child so close to thinking he can go on the trip that he can no longer go as he chose to have a disability when he was born.”

A spokeswoman for the school said: "Leesons Primary School always make decisions in the best interest of our children and the school adhere to all necessary safeguarding procedures.

"We are unable to comment on specific cases."