The family of a four-year-old autistic boy are angry after his start at school was delayed by a staff shortage.

Emma Upfold was told her son Jack, from Thurnby in Leicester, had a place at St Luke's School and could have started last May.

But his progress was put on hold because there were too few support staff to look after him.

However, after publicity surrounding his case, the family have been told Jack can start school on Tuesday.

Ms Upfold: "Really angry"

Before the last minute go-ahead Mrs Upfold had been left waiting for weeks to get a decision.

She said all the necessary special needs checks have been done to assess what extra care he would need at school.

She said: "I am really angry - why should they prevent him from going to school?

"They have disrupted his education, he was ready for school four months ago."

Jack lives in an area covered by Leicester City Council's education authority, but the school he wants to attend is covered by Leicestershire County Council.

The county council says it was doing all it could to ensure the boy starts school as soon as possible.

Leicester City Council says it has agreed to pay for a support worker to be taken on to care for Jack.

Earlier this summer Jack's mother Emma Upfold place an advertisement in a post office window asking for a playmate.

She offered �5 an hour to anyone who wanted to play with him but two local boys volunteered to come for free.

Jack cannot speak properly and often communicates by pointing to symbols.