A council has come under fire for blocking a talented foster girl's chance to take up a place at a top public school.

Suzanne Turley was one of only a handful of pupils in the country to be offered a scholarship at the Prince of Wales's former school, Gordonstoun, after passing a tough two-day interview.

But Wrexham County Borough Council, which is responsible for her care, is thwarting the 16-year-old's chance of a lifetime by refusing to pay Gordonstoun £5,000 towards her weekly upkeep and insisting that her educational needs can be met locally at a local college.

Despite several attempts to have the decision reversed, Suzanne says the only option open to her is to take herself out of council care and effectively become homeless.

Gordonstoun has indicated that it would support any action she takes to gain entry, including becoming homeless.

Suzanne, 16, approached the £15,000-a-year boarding school for a drama scholorship after doing months of research into the best way to advance her dream of a theatrical career.

Its drama and performing arts centre is renowned as one of the best in the UK. It sends annual productions to Edinburgh's Fringe Festival and last year toured America. A new £5m performing arts centre due to be built at the school next year.

Suzanne breezed through the entrance exam and the tough two-day interview to be offered a place at the prestigious school. The drama scholoships there are available only to pupils of "exceptional ability".

Wrexham council's stance has been branded cruel by Suzanne's grandmother, Ida Turley, 63, a former teacher, who yesterday promised to fight all the way to secure the Gordonstoun place for her granddaughter.

She said that she and her husband retired teacher John Turley, 62, of Little Acton, Wrexham, were happy to pay £21,000 of the £38,000 cost of sending 16-year-old Suzanne to Gordonstoun for two years. The school wanted £5,000 from the council and it offered to fund the remaining £12,000.

Mrs Turley told the Western Mail: "The authority will not have to pay the foster parents' allowance - who are 100 per cent behind Suzanne in her fight to go north - and they will also save by not having to pay out £200 a month to transport her to college.

"At the end of the day, considering we have put up two-thirds of the cash for her to go to Gordonstoun, they will be financially better off by paying the £5,000 balance for the two years."

She added: "Wrexham has a good sixth form college, I'm not denying it. But it doesn't have a specialist drama centre and the facilities of Gordonstoun."

Suzanne has lived with foster carers for 18 months because of "differences with her parents" has been working hard to achieve good GCSE results since getting the offer of the Gordonstoun place last year.

She told the The Times: "I am shattered. I understood that the director of social services was supposed to act as a sort of parent, someone who would make decisions for me that would be in my best interests. Stopping me achieving my full potential is a complete abandonment of that role."

She said she was first told the decision was financial but argues that the money it costs to have her fostered could have gone towards paying the school fees.

If she makes herself homeless, she will have to beg a bed from her grandparents and friends during the long school holidays.

Angela Harkness, development director at Gordonstoun said: "It would be a great shame if she was not able to attend,

"She is clearly bright and determined, and would excel here. There is not another school in the UK that will have the facilities we will be able to offer in her chosen field."

Headmaster Mark Pyper has written to the council in support of Suzanne coming to the school (pictured below) which was founded in Elgin, Moray, in 1934 by Dr Kurt Hahn.

Wrexham council's director of personal services and social service, Malcolm Russell, said: "We believe that it is inappropriate in the interest of the child to discuss their particular circumstances in public.

"Our general approach and policy is that if appropriate education suitable to the person's needs can be offered and delivered locally then we will make every effort to do this.

"However, this would not preclude alternative arrangements being made where these were considered to be in the best interests of the young person concerned.

"The council's overriding obligation is to safeguard and promote the welfare of the young person. We have a very sensitive representation and complaints procedure for children which gives them the opportunity to challenge any decisions that affect them.

"We are confident that excellent facilities are available locally in Wrexham to accommodate a young person's needs and allow the local authority to carry out its duty to look after the young person concerned."