A Wokingham councillor has become embroiled in a Twitter spat with well-known TV presenter, Kirstie Allsopp, after speaking out about her 15-year-old son who went Inter-railing across Europe for three weeks with a teenage friend.

The Location, Location, Location presenter sparked a debate on how children are less trusted these days to go out themselves these days.

After initial discussions about the topic, Kirstie posted on social media: “Constant chats with mates, and online, about how much we all travelled unaccompanied; to school, to grandparents, to pen pals, to babysitting gigs, now it’s all what the heck has happened?

“Is this all 24 hour news? Because the stats are very clear, travel is safer than ever.”

Her son, Oscar Hercules, who was 15 at the time of travelling, turns 16 on Wednesday.

Despite many commenters reminiscing about their own experiences of inter-railing in their youth, agreeing that the experience was ‘extremely valuable’, some had a different point of view including Wokingham Labour Councillor Andy Croy.

He argued the vast difference between travelling across country to a train trip to school saying: “Imagine thinking these are like Inter-railing. Amazing.”

He added: “Perhaps trains, stations and the areas around stations are safer now. I dunno. But it seems remarkably stupid, on a lot of levels, to publicise that you allowed a 15 year old to do this.

“As if a 16 year old is any sort of security. It's stupid beyond belief. And the 'late birthday' schilling is absurd. FFS.”

Outraged at the negative replies, particularly the comment by Mr Croy, she relied: “I’ll take a lot of sh*t on this platform but being attacked by a @WokinghamLabour councillor is a step too far (or an SNP or Tory councillor) my son is bright, brave & capable, he wanted to travel, he saved up, he did it safely & sensibly and Andy Croy is well out of order.”

The Wokingham councillor hit back saying: “You think him saving up for it makes it safer? The outcome was clearly safe (as he is back).but grown ups don't judge risk by the outcome.

“That's the sort of logic that let's drunk drivers persuade themselves it's okay.”

She has defended her decision to let her 15-year-old son Interrail across Europe without her, on grounds that she worries more about “cars and drugs” than travel.