Arrest over school ski trip fraud claim

A man was arrested on suspicion of fraud by detectives investigating a company behind school skiing trips that were cancelled at the last minute earlier this year.

Hundreds of students at schools in Devon, London, Berkshire, Kent, Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire had their trips cancelled by Skiing Europe, based in Colyton, Devon, or were forced to cancel the holidays themselves because of fears they had no accommodation reserved in the resorts.

At the time, Skiing Europe blamed the schools for being behind in their payments, claims which were denied. Devon and Cornwall Police said they had arrested a man of 70 who was questioned at a police station in Exeter yesterday.