With news that High Littleton is losing both its regular buses, a mum says her son, who has a rare condition, will be left "isolated."

In April, as part of bus cuts across North East Somerset, the village of High Littleton will lose the 178 bus between Midsomer Norton and the Brislington Park & Ride. In June, it will also lose the 179, the village's last connection to Midsomer Norton and only bus to Bath.

Stacey Lane and her family live in the village. Her vulnerable son Josh relies on the bus to get to Bath, where he is due to start college in September.

Ms Lane said: "I don't want him to feel isolated. He's such a sociable boy that, when it was lockdown and he had to stay in, he suffered so much because he didn't have that social side."

Josh has a rare condition called 48 XXYY syndrome, which means he has "a range of disabilities" including issues with understanding.

His mum says that the West of England's Metro Mayor's plans to introduce "WEST Link" – a fleet of minivans which people can book by an app to connect them with bus routes – will just mean extra stress.

She said: "With a normal bus service, he would know what bus to catch, what time, and what time to expect to be in Bath. He will know where to walk and what time he will get to college. He will know how to get home. He will have a little independence."

Josh currently gets to school in Bath on the bus, and was preparing to learn the bus route he needed to take to college. Ms Lane said: "He's got travel training at Easter which is useless because its all changing in June."

The training is funded by Bath and North East Somerset Council and helps people to learn to use their bus route independently. But now the council plans to cut the bus route Josh was due to learn before he starts college.

Ms Lane said: "I have absolutely no idea how my son will be attending college come September and there is absolutely no support.

"Vulnerable adults and children will be hit incredibly hard and isolated from the world."

The bus cuts stem from a fight between the West of England Combined Authority and the three local councils that make it up, who decided not to increase their transport funding above the rate of inflation. As a result, 42 bus services supported by council money are being cut across the West of England .

Bath and North East Somerset Council announced it had found funding to protect all its supported services in the city of Bath, but would not support any in North East Somerset after June. Council leader Kevin Guy said this is because the area would be covered by Metro Mayor's "WEST Link" minivans.

But Metro Mayor Dan Norris has insisted these are "not a replacement for supported buses" and called on councils to let him raise taxes for buses.

While local government bickers about who funds what, thousands of people face the threat of losing their bus service.

Ms Lane said: "He's just not going to get to college. I'm just panicking about it."

Bath and North East Somerset Council have been contacted for a comment.