TWO groups from Simon Langton Boys' School at Canterbury found their day trip to the Business Design Centre in Islington brought to a premature end by the blasts in London.

A coach load of year 10 pupils reached Lewisham before news of the trouble made them turn back. They were back at school by 1pm.

A second group of 21 sixth formers reached London Victoria by train before turning round and making a long, protracted attempt to get home. They had reached Clapham Junction by 2.45pm.

A school spokesman said: "The group is trying to get to outer London as far as Eltham or Beckenham and we will send a minibus to pick them up from there. It is fortunate they did not get any further in central London."

A coach carrying one class of juniors from Barham Primary School, near Canterbury, was immediately turned around on route to the Imperial War Museum during the morning.

Headteacher Graham Bissett said: "Some parents alerted us to the news of the blasts and we took immediate action to bring them back."

PUPILS from Canterbury's Simon Langton School 6th form class, currently in London, are all fine and waiting for transport near Victoria Station.