A HAMPSHIRE girl told to travel miles to school while her sister studies just yards from their home has won a surprise reprieve.

The family of five-year-old Megan White had their plea for room to be found at Fair Oak Infant School thrown out by an independent panel of education experts.

The decision meant mum Emma would have had to continue enduring a daily ten-mile round trip to get Megan to and from Shakespeare Infant School in Boyatt Wood.

At the same time, three-year-old sister Bethany was set to start at the school overlooked by the family home in Fair Oak in September.

But now, only days after the decision, Emma has been told a pupil has dropped out from next term's role call - freeing up a place for Megan.

Hairdresser Emma, 26, was delighted with the turnaround that has saved the family from a tense wait during the summer holidays.

Emma, who had to send Megan to the Boyatt Wood school out of necessity when the family moved to Hampshire in March, told the Echo: "It's fantastic news.

"It is such a relief to know they are going to be going to the same school and I do not have to work out how to get them both to school at the same time.

"I'm totally over the moon and Megan is quite excited about being able to play with Bethany at school."

The Whites' good news comes hot on the heels of a ruling by the appeals panel that 22 families would be able to see their children start at Fair Oak in September.