School's trip saved by super Swans

SWANS to the rescue as the coach firm laid on transport for the children left in the lurch

A SYMPATHETIC coach company saved the day when a school trip for 134 Oldham pupils was on the brink of cancellation.

Lyndhurst Primary School were left in the lurch when a pre-booked coach company informed them they could no longer transport the Year 3 and 4 pupils to their much-anticipated show at the Lowry Theatre because they had "gone out of business".

A successful Twitter appeal saw Oldham-based Swans Travel step up to the mark despite less than 48 hours' notice, making the Fantastic Mr Fox theatre trip on Thursday night possible for the "excited seven, eight and nine-year-olds".

Assistant head teacher Steph Moore said: "We received a call late afternoon on Tuesday (4) from the company we booked back in January to say they could not deliver the two coaches we needed because they had gone out of business.

Appeal

"We were quite panicked and phoned more than 20 firms but no one could help at such short notice. We thought about taking them on the tram but decided that would be a logistical nightmare and instead put out an appeal on social media.

"We were so thankful when Swans contacted us to say they could help. The children were relieved when they heard."

The trip was organised as part of the school's end-of-year curriculum celebration after studying Roald Dahl.

Lyndhurst had already paid out £600 to the pre-booked coach company - a local Manchester firm - in January and now hope they will be repaid the money.

One of Swans' coach drivers spotted the appeal on social media and alerted management.

Swans Travels' managing director Kieran Swindells said: "Our operations team were able to re-allocate services to ensure that we could help them out.

"We have done this because we do not want to see 134 very disappointed children lose out on extra-curricular activities. It is important that they get to experience these things."

He added: "I think it is shocking that they have been let down at such short notice."

The school said via Twitter: "@SwansTravel to the rescue! We are off to the Lowry on Thursday."