Furious headteachers are calling on Surrey County Council to reconsider plans to axe vital school buses.

The impoverished council is currently reviewing the cost of school buses in a bid to save money, and subsidised services such as the 324, 657, and 677 are also under threat.

On Tuesday last week, secondary headteachers raised strong objections to the council's proposals to reduce the services or increase charges, in a strongly worded letter to County Hall.

And there was widespread concern among teachers and students that pupils' education, and even whether pupils chose to go to college or not, would be adversely affected.

Dr Paul Rispoli, principal of Reigate College, Castlefield Road, Reigate, said: "Pupils should have the right to come to their nearest sixth form college, and frankly we are dismayed by the performance of the local council.

"This is extremely troubling, and if services are cut, there is no doubt it will impact on pupil's education, and may dissuade some pupils from going to college at all.

"We have 75 pupils commuting in from Caterham, and 45 from Horley.

"Some of them would have up to a four-hour round trip to get into school if these services were pulled."

Student Matthew Hill, of Ifield Road, Charlwood, said: "Without the bus service, I couldn't get here.

"I could have gone to Crawley, but I wanted to come to the best college available.

"My choice shouldn't be limited to transport, and I should be able to get to my local college."

Surrey County Council was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time The Mirror went to press.

The consultation period for the bus review concluded on January 31, and a report is expected by the end of March.