A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of fraud after scores of Wareham and Ferndown pupils had their school skiing trips cancelled at the eleventh hour.

The 70-year-old was taken into police custody months after police launched an investigation into the Devon-based Skiing Europe travel company, following the mass cancellations earlier this year.

Hundreds of UK students have been affected by the alleged fraud, which reportedly affected pupils at more than 10 schools across Dorset, London and six other southern counties.

Hours after the drama unfolded, in April, Wareham’s Purbeck School head teacher Richard Holman told the Daily Echo he had no confidence a planned ski trip for the following day could go ahead “safely and securely.”

Parents of 42 pupils had paid £800-a-head for the trips, before last minute fears emerged over transport and hotel bookings.

A group of students and teachers from Ferndown Upper School were also affected by the alleged fraud.

The 70-year-old Colyton man was arrested on Tuesday after Devon and Cornwall Police’s Economic Crime Unit carried out a detailed search of a property near Colyton.

Det Con 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.”

Skiing Europe blamed some schools for the cancellations, insisting they were behind with their payments – claims denied by the schools in question. However, according to Mr Holman, Purbeck School had used Skiing Europe before without any problems.

A relative of one affected student said at the time: “I think it is awful – you had a lot of very unhappy children.

“For some of them this was the first time they were ever going to go skiing.”

The 70-year-old man has been released on police bail.