STUDENTS from a Salisbury secondary school were left stranded for hours and missed a planned trip to London after a major crash closed part of the A303.

Pupils from Sarum Academy were travelling on coaches for the Year 9 trip on yesterday morning when they became caught in long queues caused by the incident.

The westbound carriageway of the A303 was closed following a crash and fuel spillage between Amesbury Road and Allington Track, causing significant disruption across the area.

Traffic monitoring service Inrix reported long delays on routes through Cholderton and Allington while emergency services dealt with the scene.

Some motorists reported journeys that would normally take around ten minutes stretching to two hours because of the closure.

The disruption meant the Sarum Academy students were unable to reach London in time and the school trip had to be cancelled.

In a message shared by the school, staff said: “Yesterday, our Year 9 students sadly got stuck in the A303 accident for hours meaning they missed their trip to London. We are hoping to reschedule this shortly.”

Despite the disappointment, the school said staff received praise from a member of the public who saw how teachers handled the situation when the coaches stopped at a service station.

The message read: “I work in Weyhill services. I would like to congratulate how well your staff handled the situation.”

The school said it was grateful for the positive feedback during what had been a frustrating situation for both students and staff.

Sarum Academy added that it hopes to rearrange the trip to London at a later date, so pupils do not miss out on the experience.