Beside the seaside at last - Shrewsbury pupils head off on rescued trip

The children, from Year 1 and 2 at Mount Pleasant Primary School, were looking forward to ice creams, playing on the beach and a walk on the pier in Llandudno - thanks to the generosity of members of the public.

It was reported last week that some children from the school would not be able to go on the proposed trip because some parents were unwilling to stump up the requested £7 voluntary donation towards the cost .

That threw the whole excursion, designed to tie in with coursework done on the environment and a visit to the Great Orme, in jeopardy.

The school had planned to take 59 children to the popular Welsh seaside resort but 24 parents initially refused to pay.

But following the publicity, donations flooded in to the school - and the majority of parents who had previously not paid also sent in money.

Before boarding the bus to take them to the beach, Alan Brannen, headteacher at the school, which is on Whitemere Road and has 232 pupils, said: "It is wonderful that the visit to Llandudno is going ahead.

"The children are excited and and looking forward to walking on the pier, travelling on the tram up the Great Orme, playing on the beach, enjoying an ice cream and writing postcards home.

"We are grateful to members of the public of their generous donations which have enabled the trip to go ahead.

"It is also lovely that many parents who did not give the voluntary contribution first time around have now decided that the visit is good value for money and have sent in the requested £7 or more."

The school was contributing a cost of £12 for each pupil but had asked for a voluntary contribution from parents to cover additional costs.

School governors had agreed to ask for a higher contribution from parents for school trips earlier this year due budget limitations.