Flights back to the UK have been cancelled for pupils from Lakelands School in Ellesmere, Idsall School in Shifnal, and Priory School in Shrewsbury.

The youngsters, who are out in the city for half-term trips, hunkered down in hotels as the storm hit.

More than 20 schoolchildren from the Pritory School by the storm, which has killed at least 50, may be stuck in the city for another week.

The 23 pupils and three staff are stuck in the city after their scheduled flight was cancelled yesterday as the storm battered the east US coast.

They have now been told that a flight to get them home is not expected to be available until November 8.

The group had booked two extra nights at their hotel after yesterday’s flight was cancelled, but Candy Garbett, headteacher at the Priory School, said it was unclear whether they would be able to stay there beyond that time.

And some members of the party will now have to miss a GCSE maths resit exam that they were due to take next week.

Ms Garbett said: “We have to play it on a day-by-day basis. The travel company is trying to see if they can get the flight brought forward.

“Parents were made aware of this before it was in the public domain. Parents knew first, then the children were told.”

She said the additional costs of the extra time spent in New York will be covered by insurance.

Wendy Blower, the business studies teacher leading the Priory School trip, said the group avoided the worst of the storm at their hotel in Manhattan.

But she said they did have to leave a meal early after finding out the power had gone out on a street neighbouring their hotel.

Children from the Lakelands School in Ellesmere may be split into smaller groups in an effort to get them home quicker.

Forty-seven pupils aged between 13 and 16 and eight teachers from the school have been stranded in their hotel near Times Square. They were due to fly to Manchester last night but the flight was cancelled.

Now teachers are considering trying to get pupils on to flights wherever possible.

Headteacher Ian Sanders said: “The travel company are working tirelessly to find replacement flights back to the UK.

“To make sure that we get everyone back as soon as possible, it may be that they return in four groups, on different flights.

Meanwhile, 18 pupils and six members of staff from Idsall school also remain in New York.

The devastating impact of the superstorm began to emerge today, with insurers estimating it has caused $20 million (£12.4 billion) damage.

President Barack Obama was due to visit New Jersey to survey some of the widespread devastation.

More than eight million homes have been left without electricity by the storm, which swamped parts of New York’s subways system and lower Manhattan’s financial district.