A man has been arrested on suspicion of fraud by police investigating a company behind school skiing trips which had to be cancelled at the last minute earlier this year.
Hundreds of students at schools across the country had their trips cancelled by Skiing Europe, based in Colyton, Devon, or were forced to cancel the trips themselves because of fears they had no accommodation reserved in the resorts.
Some only found out their trips were not happening when they arrived at their school gates to embark on their journey. The operator at the time blamed schools for being behind in their payments for some of the cancellations, claims which were denied. Schools in Devon, London, Berkshire, Kent, Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire are among those that had their trips to resorts in countries including Austria scrapped.
Devon and Cornwall police, which began an investigation in March this year, said officers from its high-tech crime unit and trading standards officials were searching a property near Colyton. They also arrested a 70-year-old man, who is being questioned at a police station in Exeter.
Detective constable Martin Battershill said: "This is a complex investigation involving assistance from forces around the country as well as other agencies. We are working to ascertain whether criminal offences have been committed in the running of Skiing Europe."