Hugs and kisses as pupils arrive back home (From Gazette Series)

Hugs and kisses as pupils arrive back home

SCENES of relief and joy greeted the 44-strong group when their coach drove safely into Katharine Lady Berkeley's School car park on Monday evening.

Parents were relieved to hear the plane had touched down safely at Heathrow airport earlier in the day but the arrival in Wotton-under-Edge was delayed by an hour and a half.

At 7.30pm, the waiting was finally over.

Hugs and kisses took on a greater significance, with thoughts of what could have happened to them and what did happen to so many ordinary people like them.

Clive Pickles, director of international studies at the school and in charge of the expedition, admitted being in Madrid after Thursday's events was a strain.

"But the kids were wonderful, coped really well", he added.

Lucy Naumann, whose son, Oliver, was on the trip, said: "I think the school handled it all really well. I was most impressed - I think the teachers were in an impossible situation.

"I had quite a wobbly day on Friday, emotionally, just wanting Oliver home but, of course, the sensible part of me realised that would have been unnecessarily panicky.

"As it turned out, staying in Spain for the weekend was a really good idea. It meant the children didn't end their stay on a sour note but were helped to get over the shock by having a fantastic time. Now they won't associate exchanges with bad things happening.

"Talking to other parents, I know many of them will be happy to go again. Oliver even said he didn't want to leave on Monday morning."