GIFTED pupils from seven York schools passed through Kings Cross underground station moments before the London bomb blasts.

Thirty youngsters from secondary schools across the city were on a two-day science trip and had left the station minutes before the incident, shortly before 9am yesterday.

The youngsters from All Saints' RC, Archbishop Holgate's, Burnholme, Manor, Fulford and Millthorpe School were on a trip as part of the Gifted and Talented programme for elite GCSE students.

Archbishop Holgate's head teacher John Harris said his head of science, Katy Bloom, who was leading the trip, immediately phoned the school to let them know none of the party had been caught up in the terror attacks, so that worried parents could be immediately informed.

The group, who have been staying in central London, had planned to visit the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and attend lectures at the Royal Institute.

Following the blast in which 37 people died, the youngsters were forced to abandon the Underground and go on foot.

But Mr Harris said the priority now was to get the 15 and 16-year-old pupils home to their families as quickly as possible.

Rail links in and out of the capital have been paralysed by the bomb blasts so a coach was expected to pick up the group at 9am today. They hoped to arrive back in York this afternoon.

Mr Harris said: "We are all greatly relieved that they are safe and well. The youngsters have all responded magnificently to a very difficult situation and we are very proud of them.

"We have been in constant contact with parents to keep them abreast of the situation. And we are now looking forward to having them back as soon as possible.

"There's no transport down there and that is proving difficult, but we have secured a coach to bring them back and we are hopeful they will be back today."

Meanwhile, prayers were being said today at schools across York for the victims of the London terror attacks.

Special assemblies and form prayers were held at schools across the city in the wake of the bomb blasts in the capital.

Students at All Saints' RC School remembered the dead and injured with form prayers this morning.

Youngsters at Heworth Primary School had a moment of reflection at a special assembly at the end of the school day yesterday.

Heworth head teacher David Brown said the assembly had originally been called to talk to youngsters about the Olympics coming to London in 2012, but this had been changed because of yesterday's events in the capital.

Mr Brown said: "Many of the children will be talking to their parents about the bomb blasts and wanting to know what has been going on. We have had to handle things very sensitively and gave them time for a moment's reflection in assembly."

Carole Farrar, head at New Earswick Primary, said teachers had picked up on the news at lunchtime yesterday and it had filtered through to the youngsters.

"The children I have spoken to have been very accepting of the situation as children generally are in these instances and they have all been wanting to know if anyone was injured."v

Updated: 10:08 Friday, July 08, 2005