A SUFFOLK school mourning the death of a 14-year-old pupil on a skiing trip will go ahead with another overseas holiday for students - with the blessing of the boy's family.

A SUFFOLK school mourning the death of a 14-year-old pupil on a skiing trip will go ahead with another overseas holiday for students – with the blessing of the boy's family.

The parents of Stuart Dines, of Woodbridge, have given their full support to the decision taken by Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham.

The group holiday to Austria is planned to take place just two months after the schoolboy was killed in a tragic road accident in Germany, on February 11.

Two people travelling in a second coach from Norfolk also died in the collision, which happened on the A4 autobahn south of Cologne.

Some of the teachers on the tragic trip will join sixth form students on their latest tour to Austria next month, the EADT can reveal.

Last night Barbara Howard, the school's chair of governors, said: “Stuart's parents were anxious that school trips shouldn't stop because of this awful tragedy. It was a decision that was supported and encouraged by his family.

“This wasn't the first time Stuart had been on a school trip. He had been on many before this and they were keen other students shouldn't miss out because of it.”

Normally, around 50 pupils aged between 16 and 18 take part in the popular annual holiday, one of a number run by the school each year.

Mrs Howard said: “We left it to the pupils to make a decision about whether they'd like to go.

“As far as I'm aware none of the students said they didn't want to go because of what happened.

“A decision to go on the trip has only just been made. People didn't want to make a decision the first week after half term so it was put on the backburner.

“There was supposed to be a parents' evening for students going on the trip during that week but it didn't go ahead.”

The school will use the same company for this latest visit to Austria, with some members of staff from the previous trip also travelling.

Mrs Howard said: “The people who take our skiing trips are very experienced and have been running them for years. We've always used the same company, who have been very supportive during this whole time.

“The staff are very experienced in running the trips too. Some of the staff will be the same as the previous trip but some will be different. The person leading it is someone who was on the previous trip, although they didn't lead it.”

Mrs Howard said although the tragedy had rocked the school, it is determined to carry on as normally as possible.

“I'm extremely proud of the way all the staff have all pulled together,” she said.

“We're a small community and we're a community school. People are very supportive of each other.

“The students have been brilliant, particularly the ones who were on the coach. The children have been receiving lots of support.

“It's going to take a long time to come to terms with what has happened. But we're trying to get back to normal.”