A trip to Paris has been cancelled by Homewood School in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

Some 50 Year 8 pupils were due to spend a day in the city studying language and culture.

They were going on Monday, February 9, but that has been called off after terrorists killed 17 people in attacks on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a supermarket and police.

Homewood principal Sally Lees said there were a number of school trips to France planned for the next few weeks.

She said: “We are keeping a close eye on the situation following the recent terrorist activity in France and Belgium and are taking advice from the French Tourist Board and the Kent outdoor education department.

“We are keeping a close eye on the situation following the recent terrorist activity in France and Belgium and are taking advice from the French Tourist Board and the Kent outdoor education department" - Principal Sally Lees

“We have decided to cancel the day trip to Paris planned for February 9 but are awaiting further advice before deciding what action to take with regards to trips planned.

“These include our annual French exchange visit. All decisions will be taken in line with advice. The safety and security of our students is always our primary concern.”

Brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi killed 11 people at the Charlie Hebdo offices and gunned down and killed a policeman on Wednesday, January 7.

They went on the run for three days before being cornered and killed by police in a shoot-out.

On Friday, January 9, Amedy Coulibaly killed four people at a Jewish supermarket in Paris in an attack thought to have been linked with the Kouachis.

Coulibaly is also suspected of killing a French policewoman.

Ashford MP Damian Green described the murders as “barbarous and disgusting”.

He said: “It reminds us of the permanent terrorist threat.”

In Paris, about 1.5 million people took part in a march through the French capital on Sunday, January 11, to demonstrate their solidarity in the wake of the terrorist killings.

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