THE foot-and-mouth epidemic which has hit the hill farmers of the North so hard also affected pupils at Reid Street Primary School, because it forced the cancellation of two school trips.

Year four children were due to visit Bede's World, at Jarrow, in April, as part of their history topic on the Saxons.

With the outbreak of the disease, the centre's farm area was closed. Because this forms a large part of the visit, it was decided to postpone it until June 21.

Unfortunately, as the epidemic continues and the farm has not reopened, staff have been forced to cancel the trip.

The outbreak has also caused the cancellation of a trip for year five and six pupils to the Middleton-in-Teesdale Field Study Centre.

This is an annual event and the children always look forward to it. Unfortunately, because the main activity was to have been walking on the fells and in the dale, the closure of many footpaths has meant the trip is not feasible.

Wendy Aitken and Glynn Hickman, organisers of the trip, said: "We know that it is very disappointing for the children, and we are disappointed too, but some things are unavoidable."

Trips to Saltburn by year two have gone ahead as normal, and year three will be going to Eden Camp later in the term.

By Nazish Abbass

Read more about the foot-and-mouth crisis here.