A Kingston-based mum has been raising concerns about the placement of bins near the playground of her son's SEND school in Tolworth.

Sara Fenwick's son has got "various health problems" and attends Apollo SEND school, which is part of Dysart Junior School.

Fenwick's son has a condition called PICA, which means that "he just picks things up and eats them", she says.

He also has Cycle Vomiting Syndrome and Avoidant/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (AFRID), which means he is food avoidant, and thus has a hospital pass.

Sara Fenwick's son has various health problems (Credit: Sara Fenwick)

The mother reports that Kingston Council has been placing bins from the flats opposite Apollo very close to its playground, meaning that the children are able to take things from the bins.

In an exclusive interview with Nub News, she said: "The school has lots of children with various health problems, so for us, we're concerned about the safeguarding and health and safety issues surrounding those bins.

"There's glass and there's wood and there's all sorts right outside the playground, and the children with special needs can put their fingers through the bars and actually pick things up.

The bins are being accessed by Apollo's pupils (Credit: Sara Fenwick)

"My son has been in hospital quite a lot this year, and his consultant doesn't understand why he does. These are vulnerable children, and there's 15 of them."

Fenwick has frequently voiced her concerns to Kingston Council but says they have not helped.

She reports that earlier this week, the council moved the bins into the school's one disability spot, which is used for the disability bus, for parents and taxis to use when picking the schoolchildren up, and for children using wheelchairs.

Fenwick added: "And so the council, in their wisdom, they've decided, instead of actually removing the bins that shouldn't be on the school property, they've just moved them forward.

"So basically, the disability bus and the parents and other vehicles can't get into or take the children out of classrooms. Some of these children have to have access to wheelchair access as well. So can you imagine what that's like?"

Kingston Council moved the bins into the school's disability parking spot earlier this week (Credit: Sara Fenwick)

She continued: "So, it's another fight for our children, and I do think the council aren't listening to us because it's a disability school."

Fenwick explained that the bin issues have been an "ongoing battle" between Dysart School and Kingston Council.

She said: "And now I'm involved with it because I can't bear it anymore. Because my son's always in and out of hospital."

The mother added: "I mean who would put a glass bin outside a children's playground? You wouldn't do it with a normal children's playground, never mind a playground where the kids have special needs.

"I just can't comprehend the mentality of having bins with household hazards in front of a school playground. And the actual bins aren't actually being used for what they're supposed to be there for.

"So, people are dumping their waste in those bins, including food waste as well, which I think my son is picking up and eating, and that's why he's in hospital so often."

Yesterday (Thursday, 20 November) Fenwick reported that the school's disability space "was used for someone who we presume was visiting in the flats".

She said: "So there was no disability parking for the school bus or drop of for taxis and parents."

Nub News has contacted Kingston Council for statement, but it has failed to respond.