A SCHOOL has cancelled its annual trip to Paris following the recent terrorist attacks – and three others are considering doing the same thing.

Sharples School called off the February break to the French capital following the atrocities earlier this month which left 130 people dead.

Three other Bolton schools – Canon Slade, Westhoughton High and St Catherine’s Academy – have trips to Paris organised and all three are now considering whether to go or not.

Teachers at Sharples had handed over £9,000 to a Paris hotel for five days full board and accommodation — but only half of the price will be refunded leaving the school £4,500 out of pocket.

Now staff and parents are launching a campaign to raise the money and an alternative holiday to Barcelona has been arranged for the same dates. Each of the students paid £350 for the five day trip which involved GCSE revision and visits to Disneyland Paris and major attractions including the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre.

The Foreign Office is currently advising that British schools should not visit Paris on school trips, and a national state of emergency has been declared in France for three months.

Caroline Molyneux, assistant headteacher at Sharples School, said: "The children were absolutely devastated that they wouldn't be able to go and see the Eiffel Tower, but it is so difficult with what has happened in Paris.

"I have been taking students to Paris for the past 10 years and it is such a shame, but they wanted to go somewhere they feel safe. We could have just given their money back, but we wanted to arrange something else because they have been looking forward to it."

Sharples head Rachel Quesnel said: "It is unfortunate that the trip has had to be moved to a new destination, however the priority for us is that our pupils feel safe and happy during their experience and that they still have the opportunity to do some revision and enjoy some culture. This is why we are working hard to raise the funds so that our pupils do not lose out."

Jane Weston, from the school's PTA, said: "It is a shame because it has become a tradition, when they are in Year 10 the children start arranging it and look forward to it."

Canon Slade School headteacher, Alan Mottershead said: “We have one trip to Paris scheduled in the spring and we are just going through the process of working out what to do. We are taking advice from a travel company and we will then write to parents to get their thoughts on it. But it’s not just trips to Paris that we are currently deciding on, there is also a trip to Madrid and one to New York next year. I think like all schools we are just taking stock of everything at the moment."

Joy Bach, deputy head teacher at Westhoughton High school said: “The school have not cancelled any trips. We do have one on the calendar next year and we are working closely with parents and other sources to see if it will go ahead."