THE deaths of a mother and son struggling to cope with autism has highlighted the desperate need for the country's first respite care centre.

Alison Davies and her son, Ryan, are believed to have jumped to their deaths from the Humber Bridge this week.

Friends of Ms Davies said she felt isolated and claim there was insufficient support to help her raise 12-year-old Ryan.

The Daisy Chain charity, based in Norton, near Stockton, aims to provide respite care for parents like Alison and children like Ryan.

When the project is completed, it will include a ten-bed overnight care centre that will be the first of its kind in the country.

Matt Simpson, project manager at Daisy Chain said: "These tragic deaths are symptomatic of the sort of pressures families come under when they have children with autism or other special needs.

"Even worse, families often break up, leaving a single parent struggling to cope, usually with little or no outside support.

"That is a big part of what we are striving to do here at Daisy Chain, giving families a haven where they can take a break from the daily stress of dealing with children who can be very difficult."

Every Thursday, parents gather at the Daisy Chain centre, in Calf Fallow Lane in Norton, sharing advice.

The deaths follow a similar incident in the North-East in September 2001, when Helen Rogan wrapped her arms around her 11-year-old son, Mark Owen Young, and leapt to their deaths from the 180ft Hownsgill Viaduct, near Consett, County Durham.

An inquest heard she feared her son would be taken from her as she found his behaviour increasingly hard to deal with.

Autism affects about 2,000 people in the Tees Valley area and 500,000 families nationally.