Schoolchildren rescued from Brecon Beacons were never missing, says headteacher

The schoolchildren rescued from the Brecon Beacons during a Duke of Edinburgh exercise were never missing, their headteacher has insisted.

Police and mountain rescue teams said a major search operation was launched after 26 teenagers disappeared in low cloud and torrential rain, before leading them off the hill and back to safety.

Jonathan Gillespie, headteacher at St Albans School, Hertfordshire, said that the location of the pupils was known and that they needed help after two of them were taken ill.

Mr Gillespie said that two members of staff reached the group in 90 minutes and the entire group were fit enough to walk off the hill.

The headteacher added that he was "grateful" to the emergency services for their help and that several of the groups were still on track to complete their silver expedition.