In a bizarre twist to what should have been an enjoyable school trip, students from Barr Beacon school got stranded in the U.S. for four days longer than planned.
42 Students aged 13-15 were on a skiing trip to Lincoln in New Hampshire in February while staying at the Kancamagus Lodge. They were due to fly home on February 25 until they discovered that 41 of their passports had been shredded to pieces.
No explanation has been made public as to why the hotel destroyed the passports, other than it being a “mistake”.
Speaking with the Express & Star, one unnamed parent said: “I could not believe my eyes when I was reading the email about the emergency travel documents. How can a hotel shred 41 passports? It is not like they were pieces of paper, they were actual passports.”
Consequently, the group had to apply for emergency documentation from the British Embassy in New York. This meant they had to fly to New York, wait for them to be issued and re-book another flight.
That wait lasted four days, but the teachers and children made the most of their time by visiting some of the tourist sites in The Big Apple and taking an open-top bus tour. All children returned home safely and teachers were praised by parents for their pastoral care.
A statement on the official Barr Beacon school website reads: “We would like to say a massive thank you to our dedicated staff who dealt with the very unusual circumstances they were faced with. They have ensured that all pupils were not only kept safe but also took the opportunity to embrace their additional time in New York and give them the opportunity to explore some incredible places.”