Adventure trip pupils robbed by hill bandits

Pupils on a school trip to Guatemala have been robbed at gunpoint by mountain bandits.

The 12 teenage boys from The Skinners' School, Tunbridge Wells, were on a private bus travelling on a remote hillside road when the gunmen flagged them down.

The group, their two teachers and an expedition leader, who were on the 20th day of their four-week adventure holiday, were forced off the vehicle and tied to trees before the robbers stole £2,000.

Headteacher Simon Everson said pupils and staff had followed their training, complying with the requests of the robbers and speaking calmly.

But he said the pupils had been left shaken. The trip, which was arranged through specialist school travel organiser World Challenge Expeditions, involved a jungle trek and working with local communities in the Central American country on building projects.

"A great deal of work went in in the months prior to this trip," said Mr Everson. "When this unexpected situation happened all the pupils and staff followed their training exactly and negotiated their way through a potentially difficult situation with a great deal of calm.

"All the reports back say they were very brave and have done us proud," he said.

The group is scheduled to fly home on Wednesday.