Want the top news headlines sent to your inbox daily? Sign up to our FREE newsletter below Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Students on a skiing trip in Italy are on their way home just two days after leaving the North East due to a coronavirus shutdown.

Parents were notified on Monday that the Longbenton High School pupils who had travelled to Courmayeur in northern Italy would be returning home early.

The group of 40 children had only set off for the ski resort on Saturday.

It was announced on Monday that the majority of Italy's ski resorts will close and not reopen this season in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus.

So far in Italy, 366 people with coronavirus have died and up to 16 million people are now living under new quarantine rules.

Head teacher Paul Quinn said the decision was taken for the trip to go ahead after considering "all Government advice available and information from the tour operator based within the resort".

However, since the school group arrived in Courmayeur, the Italian government closed all leisure and entertainment facilities within the region as a precaution.

As a result, arrangements are now being made to bring the children home.

Mr Quinn added: "Government advice is that people returning from this area do not need to undertake any special measures, such as self-isolating, unless they develop symptoms."

The children are being advised to stay off school on Wednesday in order to recover from the journey home.

Mr Quinn said: "However they can return to school on Thursday. We will authorise absences for the remainder of the week should the parents/guardians of the students on the trip feel they are too tired to attend school."

He added: "As always, our top priority is the health and wellbeing of our students and staff."

Parents have been directed to the NHS website to check for coronavirus symptoms such as a cough, high temperature and shortness of breath.