British school group on fencing tour stranded in Beijing

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• published: 24 Jul 2015
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SHOTLIST QUALITY AS INCOMING 1. Various of school children from Durham practicing their fencing moves 2. Pan of China''s Science and Technology Museum, with group of school children inside 3. Wide of school children 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Fran Welsh, part of fencing team from Durham, UK: "We were actually in the departure lounge for three hours waiting, and then we got on the plane, and then we moved like a 100 metres off, and then we flew back, and then got off, and then they said it was cancelled. And we went to a hotel, and stayed there for a day, and then we got three options, they said we had three options, either to cancel our flight, get another one, or stay here, and so we choose to stay in a different hotel because it was quite expensive in the one that they had." 5. Low shot of school children 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Bradley Milburn, on fencing trip to Beijing, from Chester-le-Street, UK: "I was really glad in one way because it''s an extra holiday but I was really upset because, you might think this is stupid, but I really miss school, and I miss my friends at home, and I miss my mum and my brother because they''re at home. But at least I''ve got my dad with me, so I feel a lot better with that." 7. School children 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Milburn, father of Bradley, travelling with school children on fencing tour: "But my wife, her opinion is that she would rather that I was here on the ground than taking a chance in the air, with the storms that are still going on. I spoke to her last night and she said I''m quite content for you to be on the ground till at least we know it''s reasonably safe, although we know the conditions are changing all the time, you know, so she''s quite happy that I''m on terra firma I think." 9. Mid of Beth Davidson, fencing development coach at ticket booth buying tickets for museum 10. Close up of Davidson buying tickets 11. Pan of China Science and Technology Museum 12. Various of people and school children at museum STORYLINE A group of British school children have been stranded in Beijing following the flight cancellations and travel disruptions across Europe caused by ash from an Icelandic volcano. The school children all aged between 10 and 14 came as part of a fencing club visit to Beijing to compete with local Chinese teams, and tour the city. The school children from Durham in the north east of England arrived on 14 April and expected to stay for two weeks. They were due to fly last Thursday, but their flight was cancelled moments before take off, and they were forced to turn back. One of the children on board the flight, a school girl from Central Newcastle High School for Girls, Fran Welsh described what happened. Welsh said, "we got on the plane, and then we moved like a 100 metres off, and then we flew back, and then got off, and then they said it was cancelled." Millions of travellers have been stuck since the volcano under Iceland''s Eyjafjallajokull glacier begun erupting April 14 for the second time in a month, spewing a vast cloud of ash that has drifted over most of northern Europe and is now spreading west toward North America. Some flights resumed early on Tuesday from Asia to southern Europe, giving hope to (m) millions of travellers stranded around the world. But further delays were likely because the eruption from the Icelandic volcano that caused days of aviation chaos was said to be strengthening and sending more ash toward Britain. The stranded British school children in Beijing said they had been enjoying the extra holiday, and opportunity to train with Chinese fencing students, but some said they missed family and school in the UK. There are currently 11 children in the group of 23 remaining in Beijing. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/1677187595838cfb2d9041e8538c8ea0 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork