The pair were catching a lift with a group from Acle Academy as it returned from a week's skiing in the Italian Alps.

But the teachers became increasingly alarmed at their behaviour and just a few hours into the 1,250 mile journey, when the coach stopped at a service station in Switzerland, they were left behind.

Trouble had started after the coach left the Italian resort and two began swigging wine, listening to music and trying to start a singalong with others on board.

They were transported by Pat's Coaches (Image: Facebook)

Students are said to have enjoyed a "fantastic" week on the slopes in Italy before the safeguarding row snowballed. (Image: facebook)

Despite attempts by Acle staff to calm things down, the high jinks continued, leaving the reps on icy ground.

Things then snowballed after one of them was reported to have used inappropriate language about a member of staff and made a derogatory remark about a student in front of other pupils.

When the coach stopped for a scheduled stop in Switzerland, there was a discussion with the teachers who told the pair they had reached the end of their run and would not be allowed back on board.

The frosty fall-out from the extraordinary journey has now seen the school initiate a safeguarding inquiry led by Norfolk County Council and even report the incident to police.

It has also lodged a formal complaint with the tour company and reported the pair to Ski England.

The 20-hour journey began in Passo Del Tonale, northern Italy, at around 6.30pm last Sunday, at the end of a week-long ski trip.

Two coaches carrying around 50 pupils aged between 12 and 16 and 10 members of staff, including assistant principal Rob McCombe, set off for an overnight drive which was due to see them reach Norfolk at 5.20pm on Monday.

The two tour guides worked for TM Ski and Travel, which is based in Hopton, near Great Yarmouth, and which had organised the trip.

Pupils had been having daily lessons on the slopes (Image: Supplied)

Students ahead of the ski trip to Italy which went off piste as they made their way home (Image: Facebook)

They had not travelled out to Italy with the group but earlier in the week the company had asked the school whether they could return to the UK on its coach, a request staff agreed to.

The unruly behaviour unfolded as the coach passed through the Alps and into Switzerland.

At 10.20pm, during a scheduled stop at a service station, things came to a head.

Parents, who had paid approximately £1,400 per head for the holiday, received an update on WhatsApp from Mr McCombe around an hour later to explain what had happened on the journey and then at the service station.

He said: “What initially began as tour staff playing music and encouraging a singalong escalated into behaviour that was inappropriate and unprofessional.

“The individuals in question were consuming alcohol which they had brought onto the bus and undermined Acle staff who were attempting to settle the coach and turn the music off.”

He explained that teachers travelling on the separate coach had been alerted to the situation and intervened, instructing the tour reps to stop drinking and calm the situation.

Assistant principal at Acle Academy Rob McCombe organised the trip that's ended in a safeguarding row (Image: LinkedIn)

However, further concerns were raised after one of the men was alleged to have used inappropriate language about a member of staff and made a derogatory remark about a student in front of pupils.

Mr McCombe went on: “Upon stopping for a planned break and speaking directly with students, additional information came to light which increased our concerns.

“While there was nothing of a sexual or physical nature, the conduct was clearly inappropriate and placed students in a situation they should not have been exposed to.”

Parents were also told that emotions were running high at the service station, with one teacher reported to have been involved with a confrontation with the tour reps.

Mr McCombe said staff then took the “difficult but necessary” decision to remove both individuals from the coach at around 11.30pm.

“The safety and wellbeing of our students must always come first,” he added.

“Out of duty of care to the students, we acted as quickly as we were able to in this incident.”

Following the group's return to Norfolk, the school carried out an internal investigation, including collecting statements from staff and pupils.

Parents were later informed that as a result the matter had been escalated to Norfolk County Council's Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), the highest level of safeguarding oversight available through the county.

The school has also made a formal complaint against the tour company and reported the incident to relevant professional bodies including Ski England.

TM Ski facebook page (Image: Supplied)

Marcus Bishop, owner and director of TM Ski and Travel confirmed two staff members had been ejected from the coach and reprimanded.

He added: “At present this matter is being investigated by ourselves, the school and the education authority, so I don’t think it is appropriate to comment.

“I can confirm an incident did take place and two tour reps were asked to leave the bus.

“The staff involved have been reprimanded and it is something we do take very seriously.

“But you know as well as I do that kids can exaggerate things.”

They were transported by Pat's Coaches (Image: Facebook)

The coach involved was operated by Wrexham-based Pat's Coaches.

The driver confirmed an incident had occurred on his coach but said the company would not comment further while safeguarding investigations were under way.

He said: “I don’t think it would be fair for us as a company to comment any further at this stage given that the matter is being investigated by official bodies.”

Despite the incident, staff praised pupils for their conduct throughout the trip, describing them as “resilient, supportive and exemplary”, and said it was deeply disappointing the situation unfolded at the end of what had otherwise been a successful week.

Students were on their way back to the UK when the incident happened (Image: Supplied)

The school apologised unreservedly to parents and said it would continue to pursue the matter to ensure accountability and closure.

Mr McCombe told parents he didn't want what had happened to distract from what had been a "fantastic week."

One parent who did not want to be named questioned how the situation was allowed to arise in the first place.

"It's concerning that two adults who were not part of school staff were allowed to travel on a coach full of young children without tighter checks or supervision.

"It feels like a lapse in judgement. It is concerning that they were ever allowed to travel with the kids given it was not part of the plan originally and I would like to know if any safeguarding checks were made on the individuals or if a risk assessment was carried out."

Another parent said: "I'm glad the teachers acted quickly to remove them but I'm astonished they were allowed on the coach with the children in the first place."

A spokesman for Acle Academy, which is run by Wensum Trust, said: "While our recent ski trip was an overwhelming success in terms of student achievement and conduct, our staff took immediate and decisive action during the return journey to address the unprofessional behaviour of two external contractors from the tour provider, TM Ski.

"Upon discovering that these individuals - who had worked with us during the week and requested to join our coach for the return journey to the UK - had breached our rigorous professional standards by consuming alcohol and using inappropriate language, our staff acted immediately and removed them from the vehicle at the first safe opportunity.

"We make no apologies for our zero-tolerance approach to any behaviour that impacts the safety or environment of our students.

"Since our return, we have proactively reported the incident to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), the police, and Norfolk County Council."

Map showing the route staff and children from Acle Academy took and where the tour reps were ejected due to safety concerns (Image: Google Maps)

12.30pm - Coaches depart for ski resort in Italy

6.30pm – Coaches depart resort in Italy

8.23pm – Parents told pupils had a brilliant last day and are on their way home

10.20pm – Coach stops at service station in Switzerland; two tour reps ejected over safety concerns

11.18pm – Parents informed of “inappropriate behaviour”

11.25pm – Message reiterates “decisive action” taken out of duty of care

11.31pm – Journey towards Calais resumes

9.28am – Parents receive apology; told incident involving alcohol and derogatory language was dealt with “robustly”

11.30am – Pupils board ferry from Calais to Dover

5.20pm – Pupils return to Acle Academy

WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY

Parents informed TM Ski has been reported to LADO

© Eastern Daily Press