Students were left disappointed when snow put an abrupt end to their French exchange trip on Tuesday.
Seven French A Level students and two teachers from Luton Sixth Form College had planned a four-day visit to Lille, but got no further than St Pancras International in London when snow caused all Eurostar trains to be cancelled.
Katie Miles-Kemp, course manager for modern foreign languages at the college, was even interviewed on TV by the BBC about the disappointing and premature end to the trip.
She told BBC London News: “The students are really absolutely gutted because their penfriends are texting and Facebooking and keeping in touch, but it looks like we’re not going to be going to France this year.”
There was heavy snow in the south of England and Northern France which prevented the party from getting to Tourcoing, a small city near Lille.
Principal Chris Nicholls said: “It is hugely disappointing for them as a lot of very careful planning had been done for this visit. Unfortunately there was no choice but for the party to return to Luton.”