Published: Thursday, 20th November, 2008 4:00pm

Wales trip still on for school

by Lauren Everitt

Comments (0) | Print | Email

A HEADTEACHER says a planned trip to an activity centre where a boy died just days ago will still go ahead.

Pupils from Charters School in Sunningdale will continue with plans to visit Tirabad in Wales this week.

Stewart McEwan, 13, died while canoeing on a Welsh river on Saturday as part of a week-long trip to Tirabad in Powys.

He had been at the activity centre with Maiden Erlegh school in Earley.

Marcia Twelftree, headteacher at Charters School, said: "We don't have any students at the centre at the moment but some are due to be going."

A police investigation was launched to determine how Stewart died and a post-mortem was being carried out yesterday (Wednesday).

Mrs Twelftree added: "We are waiting to see the outcome of the police investigation but we hope to send the group as planned."

A group of 34 pupils from years eight and nine is due to travel to the centre tomorrow (Friday). No one has pulled out from the trip and the school sent letters to parents explaining what had happened.

Mrs Twelftree said 'sensible precautions' would be taken and the children will not be participating in any water based activities.

She said: "At the moment, there is no evidence that there is any issue with the centre, but we are taking sensible precautions with everything."

The Tirabad Centre for outdoor pursuits is run by a Charitable Trust with representatives from Charters, Maiden Erlegh and The Emmbrook School in Wokingham.

Nigel Matthias, headteacher at The Emmbrook School and chairman of the charitable trust, rushed down to the site on Monday to assist with the investigation.

Police and health and safety officers are still investigating what happened.

The 13-year-old was pulled from the river by the police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and was airlifted to hospital in Hereford but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Dyfed-Powys Police have taped off two areas of the River Usk while they investigate the accident.

Stewart had just been signed as a goalkeeper by Reading FC academy and the club will pay tribute at their home game on Saturday.

A statement from Mr Matthias, executive trustee of Tirabad Residential Educational Trust, said: "The trustees and staff of the Tirabad centre would like to express their sincere condolances to the family of Stewart McEwan and to the students and staff of Maiden Erlegh School.

"The staff at Tirabad are devastated by the loss of a student and will work closely with the appropriate authorities to ensure a full and comprehensive investigation is completed as soon as possible.

"The centre has operated as an outdoor education centre for 25 years.

"During this time the centre has extended from being a facility used by trust schools to a centre used by many schools across Berkshire."

Mr Matthias was due back from his visit today (Thursday).