A Letchworth school has reassured parents and carers following the departure of pupils yesterday for a “long-awaited ski trip” in northern Italy.

Pupils and staff from Fearnhill School travelled to the Piedmont region of northwest Italy ahead of a week-long trip at the Prato Nevoso resort - just hours before the Italian authorities confirmed that huge swathes of northern Italy were in lockdown, with over 16 million residents quarantined.

At present, the lockdown areas in Northern Italy are the entire Lombardy region, select parts of Piedmont and 15 provinces ranging from Modena to Venice. Herts County Council have confirmed Fearnhill School pupils are not in any of the lockdown parts of Italy and the school have been following all 'relevant advice'.

On Sunday, the number of people said to have died from the coronavirus in Italy rose to 366, with 7,375 cases confirmed. The Foreign Office have now advised against 'all but essential travel' to large parts of northern Italy.

In a statement to concerned parents and carers this afternoon, a spokesperson for the school said: 'Yesterday some of our students went to Prato Nevoso in northern Italy for a week-long ski trip.

'This area is not currently in the lockdown zone. Students travelled from the airport to the resort in a private coach and at no time on this trip will they travel via local public transport, visit towns, cities or areas with large groups of people.

'They will be based at the resort for the entire duration of the trip. We have followed all relevant advice from the Foreign Office on travelling to Italy, and from the Department of Education and Public Health England on hygiene and health risks.

'In line with the guidance from Public Health England, if any of the party have flu-like symptoms upon their return, they will self-isolate and call NHS 111.'