EAST Yorkshire students on a school trip to Sicily watched in amazement as Mount Etna erupted only hours after they had walked on it.
About 40 youngsters and four staff from Pocklington School were on a week-long holiday which finished with a trip to the volcano.
After returning from the tour of the volcano they went to their hotel and watched in amazement at news reports that the volcano had erupted.
The school party was unable to fly back from the airport, which had to be closed due to ash from the volcano on the runway.
Deputy head teacher Andrew Dawes praised the Sicilian authorities, who arranged for a ferry back to the Italian mainland where the party was put up in a hotel before flying home.
The children returned home yesterday afternoon, a day late. Mr Dawes added: "Their parents were delighted to see them back safely and the school was proud at how they had coped with it all."
Updated: 17:02 Wednesday, October 30, 2002
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