Netball teams that missed out on Disneyland thanks to Dover port chaos head back to school to play
They should have been in Paris and looking forward to a tour of Disneyland this week, but instead a group of Shropshire students were back on home turf - playing netball on the school pitches during their Easter holiday.
The Marches School's trip to a netball tournament in France was scuppered by huge delays in the port of Dover on Sunday.
So, determined not to have a completely wasted time and to use the kit they had raised funds for - complete with Mickey Mouse ears - the students went back into school on Tuesday for a morning of netball fun.
Students and parents alike were full of praise for the teachers and staff from the Marches who made the decision to turn around and head back to Oswestry.
Maisie Hatton and Summer Turner, 13, both admitted they cried when they realised that the coach would be going no further than a holding area at the port, but agreed with Mia Beetson and Freya James, 13, and Aimee Mayne, 12, that it was definitely the only decision the teachers could have made.
"We have already been queuing for five hours and it would have been another 15 - it would have been awful," Mia said.
So many other teams were also waiting at Dover that eventually the tournament had to be cancelled.
The students said that the staff had been wonderful, organising challenges and games to pass the time and even buying them all a McDonald's meal.
"We also were given Kit Kats and water from the port authority," Freya said.
Aimee said they had tried to look on the positive side.
"We are having a great day playing netball today and hopefully we can go to the re-scheduled tournament next year," she said.
Parent Paula Edwards, watching the netball at school on Tuesday, said the teachers were tremendous.
"They kept us fully informed the whole time and kept the girls' spirits up. There was no other decision they could have made and I know they were just as upset as the girls.
"Everyone was so impressed by the staff that they have had lots of bunches of flowers given them as a thank you."
