MORE THAN a dozen Penistone Grammar School students living in Cawthorne have missed lessons and have been late to GCSE exams after a mix up between school bus operators.

The bus failed to pick them up three times in as many weeks before half-term, leaving pupils stranded five miles from school.

The mix up happened when the service switched from Globe Coaches to Stagecoach on May 15 and drivers on service 419 were not informed of the new route through the village.

Pupils had to try to get lifts to school or catch a bus to Barnsley then another bus to Penistone, which takes over an hour.

Beverley Bagshaw, of Stanhope Avenue, said her 15-year-old daughter Rebecca almost missed a GCSE exam on Monday. She also has a 12-year-old son, Ryan, who has missed lessons.

She said: "It's disgusting. I have phoned the school to complain because it's the kids and their education that is suffering. What would have happened if my daughter had missed her exam? She would be the one to be punished when it's not her fault."

A spokesman for the grammar school said that it was not a regular occurrence and the issue has now been resolved.

He said: "The initial problem was that the message did not get through to the drivers about the diversion through Cawthorne. This was soon rectified but on Monday unfortunately the bus broke down and by the time it arrived pupils had already left the stop."