A 10-year-old autistic boy was abandoned by his taxi driver after the two had a row on the way to school.

Aylesford boy Ashley West suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as autism and gets a taxi every day to Rowhill Special Needs School, in Longfield.

But yesterday morning the normally routine journey ended with the vulnerable youngster dumped back on his doorstep - left alone and locked out of his house in Heathcote Close.

Mum-of-five Debbie was walking her other children to school in Ditton when she got a phone call from a friend who had found Ashley wandering the streets.

“My friend saw him walking along the main road,” she said. “He just dumped him back on the doorstep. What were they thinking? He’s a vulnerable child."

Ashley explained the routine journey took a strange turn as the taxi reached Blue Bell Hill.

He said: “I said if you keep talking to me like that, I’m going to get out. He turned round and took me home and just left me.

Aylesford firm Place 2 Place - which provided the taxi - declined to comment and said the issue was a matter for Kent County Council.

Transport integration manager Kenneth Cobb said: “Kent County Council takes such issues very seriously and if we receive a complaint it will be thoroughly investigated in line with our published complaints procedure.”

Mrs West said she reported the matter to KCC just after midday yesterday - and asked to have a different taxi firm.

She was also due to report the matter to the police.

For the full story, pick up a copy of the Kent Messenger - out today.