Autistic boy left at Barry Island beach (From Barry And District News)

Autistic boy left at Barry Island beach

THE mother of a 13-year-old autistic boy who was left behind on Barry Island after a school trip has spoken out.

Ann Fowler said she wasn't surprised to hear that her son had given his teachers the slip - but couldn't understand how they managed to forget him.

Geraint Shattock arrived in Barry Island with Trinity Fields Special School, Ystrad Mynach, but failed to board the minibus on the way home and was left behind.

He was in a party of seven pupils, but teachers only realised he wasn't there when they arrived back in school.

Police and coastguards were alerted and he was found 15 minutes later playing on the beach at Whitmore Bay.

The teenager, from Coed y Pandy, Caerphilly, does not speak often and finds it difficult to communicate in words

He often tries to escape from his mum's back yard, and she has security beams in place to alert her if he tries to get out.

Ann Fowler said: "I am not surprised he went off somewhere, but I don't understand how they managed to miss him.

"Three years ago he escaped when we were in Cardiff and he ended up on a roundabout in Ely. When he sees the white line in the middle of the road he follows it.

"I was not as worried about him escaping - but it was his fascination for water which concerned me.

"He loves to play with water and can swim like a fish, but he would not be able to cope with the sea."

Trinity Fields headteacher Cliff Warwick said: "We are obviously shocked and concerned to hear about this incident and we are carrying out a full investigation.