A NOTTS travel company has been praised after stepping in to help a school after a "rogue trader" ruined its skiing trip.
Halsbury Travel agreed to give 21 pupils the holiday they missed out on after it was approached by Channel 5's Cowboy Traders television programme.
The show had been investigating a company it said took more than £40,000 from Meole Brace School in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, in 2011 – but then failed to deliver a trip or refund.
Presenter Melinda Messenger approached Halsbury to ask if his firm would help with a replacement trip.
The company was shown agreeing to the giveaway in an episode of the programme broadcast last night.
Keith Sharkey, Halsbury managing director, said: "I used to be a teacher and I knew how disappointed the kids would be, so when I was approached by Channel 5 I was delighted to be of assistance.
"They told me we had been recommended as a school tour operator with an excellent reputation. The last thing they wanted was for the school to be let down twice."
The pupils, two teachers and five parents were sent to the 2006 winter Olympic venue Bardonecchia in Italy.
The company provided flights, accommodation, equipment hire, ski tuition, lift passes and a hoodie as a memento for each passenger.
Jess Sanders, a teacher at Meole Brace School, said: "Our students were made to feel really special and had the most amazing weekend after having been let down so dramatically"
In last night's programme, Mr Sharkey is seen getting a hug from Melinda after he agrees to provide the trip.
"He literally is our knight in shining armour," she said.
A spokesman for Channel 5 said: "We're really grateful to Halsbury Travel for all their involvement and generosity."
Family-owned Halsbury also featured on Radio 4's Excess Baggage in 2010.
The company arranged for school parties to be brought back to the UK within seven hours of flights around Europe being cancelled after a huge ash cloud from an erupting Icelandic volcano caused chaos.
