FOUR-YEAR-OLD Zachary Benn was dropped off a mile from home by a bus driver who didn't know the route.

And his mum says her confidence in school buses has been shattered because of what has happened.

When her son was not dropped off at the bus stop after school Colette Dunne feared the worst and phoned the police.

But her fear turned to anger when she learnt Zachary had been left at the wrong bus stop by the driver.

The Holy Rood infants school pupil had to walk more than a mile, crossing busy main roads from Liskeard Drive in Freshbrook with a 10-year-old girl he didn't know, after believing he had missed the stop near his home at Flint Hill, Toothill.

It is thought the bus driver, contracted to run the school bus service from Dangerfields Vehicle Hire, did not know his route correctly and had missed Flint Hill.

A few minutes later he allowed Zachary to get off the bus with only the 10-year-old girl to look after him.

Colette, 38, who was waiting for Zachary at Flint Hill, was frantic with worry and has thanked the 10-year-old girl, although she does not know who she is.

She said: "Zachary just thought it was a big adventure but in today's society a child's safety is absolutely paramount. I cannot believe something like this has happened.

"I had wanted to introduce him to the school bus gradually, so I had been taking him into school by car and then on Monday he came back on the bus.'' On Tuesday morning the bus did not turn up in the morning as expected so Colette had to run Zachary in by car and was to pick him up in the afternoon from the bus stop, but the bus did not turn up.

"It usually turns up about half-three," said Colette. "After 20 minutes I phoned the bus company and they told me what had happened.

"I was frantic, and I called the police. He's my only son and you just assume the worst."

Colette said images of the murdered Liverpool youngster, Jamie Bulger, kept flashing through her mind.

Zachary finally turned up at the bus stop 45 minutes later carrying a dandelion for his mum to say sorry, believing it was all his fault.

"You trust these people from the moment you put them on the school bus, to the moment they come off it," said Colette. "I just wonder how this could have happened.

"Why wasn't there some sort of bus escort with a list of where the children get off? Until things change or something like that is introduced, I am not letting Zachary get on another school bus."

A joint statement issued by the headteachers of Holy Rood infants and junior schools said: "Children from West Swindon have been travelling to and from our schools by bus for nearly 30 years.

"We have strict procedures in both schools to ensure the health and safety of the children prior to the buses departing. Once on the bus, the operator is responsible for health and safety.

"Swindon Council's passenger transport department is responsible for the provision of the bus and we understand that this event occurred because the bus driver did not follow procedures.

"We are naturally concerned about the distress caused and the safety issues involved. We understand that the passenger transport enforcement officer will be holding a full investigation. The safety of the children must always be everyone's first concern."

A Swindon Council spokeswoman added: "The safety of children travelling on our school contract services is of utmost importance to us.

"We take any incident of this nature seriously and on Wednesday morning the council's passenger transport enforcement officer travelled on the school bus, and has already spoken to representatives of the school and the bus operator. The operator has taken urgent and appropriate action.

"When we have the full picture of events and the enforcement officer's report, we will sit down with the operator to discuss what lessons can be learnt from this unfortunate incident."

No-one at Dangerfields bus company was available for comment.