An angry mother said a Government-backed free school is "too little too late" and warned a generation will become the "lost schoolchildren of Harpenden".

David Cameron announced on Monday that a bid to set up the Harpenden Secondary Free School, catering for 1150 children and 250 Sixth Formers, had been approved.

But Harpenden mum Ann-Marie John - whose son Owen, 11, has been allocated a place at Verulam in St Albans - has blasted Hertfordshire County Council for not addressing the town's school shortcomings sooner.

Council figures forecast a shortfall in the town’s secondary schools will increase from at least 120 in 2017 to 248 in 2019.

She said: "They are going to build this new school but they don't have a site for it and who knows how long it will take to get up and running?

“The council has known for some time that there is a shortage of school places in Harpenden, for Harpenden children. They have dragged their heels.

"In the mean time we are going to have whole year groups of children cut off from their community - they won't go to school in Harpenden, their friends won't be here and we won't be Harpenden school parents.

"We pay our taxes like everyone else yet we don't see the benefits, we just want our children to go to a local school.

"It's a major problem that will affect more and more families every year and will see three or four years of kids that become the lost schoolchildren of Harpenden."

The Meadway resident said Grove School pupil Owen will face two buses to and from school every day next year - cutting out precious studying and family time.

She said the council has 'manipulated' its allocations figures by adding a fourth school selection - and she will face the same problems when Emily, 8, and Jessica, 3, girls make the move.

She said: "The council will say we got one of our top four selections but, while Verulam is an excellent school, it's not a real or sensible choice.

"I was advised to put it down as Harpenden's schools are oversubscribed so I feel we've been manipulated to make the council's figures look good.”

Tom Shipp at Hertfordshire County Council said: “In recent years we have worked with the schools in Harpenden to increase the number of places available, but each has advised they cannot offer any further additional places for this September.

“Sandringham School, has been expanded by 30 places and 14 additional places have also been offered at St Alban’s Girls’ School, both of which have increased capacity across the area as a whole for this year.

“We understand that this is a difficult time for parents and appreciate some may be disappointed with the school their child has been allocated.

"Where parents have been allocated a school outside their preferences, we encourage them to visit the school and speak to the head teacher before dismissing the offered place.”