SCHOOL children as young as 10 years old were left stranded in Hexham after a service bus to the Allen Valleys became full to capacity.

Worried parents travelled by car to collect the group of about six youngsters - all middle and high school pupils - after they were left behind by Go North East's 688 service on Tuesday evening.

Now they have called on education chiefs and bus operators to ensure there is no repeat of the incident as dark winter nights draw nearer.

The children involved, who all live in the Allen Valleys, are not entitled to school transport because their families have chosen to send them to schools in Hexham, which are out of their catchment area.

Northumberland County Council provides school buses from the Allen Valleys to Haydon Bridge High School.

But some parents have claimed that ongoing uncertainty surrounding Haydon Bridge, which has been in special measures for over two years, has forced them to seek an alternative route for their children.

Zoe Bell from Allendale said her 11-year-old daughter Lucy, who attends St Joseph's Middle School in Hexham, was one of those left behind by the 688 service bus on Tuesday.

She added: "It's lucky that this happened on a light night, because we are talking about children of 10 and 11 years old, and they shouldn't be left stranded.

"The dark nights are not far away, and you expect your children to get to school and back safely."

Mrs Bell said a larger service bus with greater seating capacity should be put on to accommodate demand.

A Northumberland County Council spokeswoman said: "Such an increase in demand is difficult for the bus service to deal with, but we have been in dialogue with the bus company to identify what actions they could take to provide both short term and longer term solutions."

Stephen King, head of commercial and retail at Go North East, said: "We are operating the service on behalf of the county council, and are working with them to find a solution."