Two mums who hoped to set up a free school for children with autism have finally admitted defeat.

Donna Smith-Emes, 42, of Park Road, Sittingbourne, and her friend Sarah Aldridge, 41, of Gaze Hill Avenue, submitted an application to the Department for Education for the third time in May.

However, they were told last week they had once again been unsuccessful.

In a joint statement the women said: “The information contained within the feedback received, leads us to believe that one of the main reasons for this is that we are not comfortable joining a multi-academy trust at this early stage, with the possibility of our vision and identity for the school being compromised, despite working with some leading education establishments.

“We will not be reapplying in future rounds.”

Mrs Smith-Emes, whose son Daniel, 13, is autistic, and Mrs Aldridge, whose nine-year-old daughter Amber has high-functioning autism, came up with the idea to create a school in Swale three years ago.

There is only one place which serves children from the borough – Laleham Gap School, which is based over two sites in Broadstairs and Margate.

To help them realise their dream they set up the parent-led group Friends of Aspire.

They applied to set up the school last May, but were told two months later their application had been unsuccessful.

Despite the initial knock-back, they resubmitted their proposal in October and met department representatives on January 28 to discuss their plans further but it was rejected again due to Kent County Council not commissioning enough places to make the school as financially viable as the Department would like.

The women also run a free support group for parents and carers of children with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

It meets at The Ypres Tavern, West Street, Sittingbourne, every third Wednesday of the month, and at The Orchards, Attlee Way, Milton Regis, usually on the first Friday of the month.

Visit www.aspirefreeschool.co.uk for more details.