By Victoria Raimes

Last updated 14:59, Friday, 29 August 2008

The story of four Cumbrian teenagers, including one as young as 13, left stranded at Alton Towers by a Carlisle coach company has created fierce debate on our website.

Coach trip trauma: Carlisle teenagers, from left: Chris O’Carroll, Emily Rae and Jodie Sullivan, who were left behind at Alton Towers

Jack Zihni, 13, Jodie Sullivan, Christopher O’Carroll, and Emily Rae, all 16, found themselves more than four hours from home without any money after Irving’s Coaches left them at the theme park on Sunday.

The Carlisle friends, who had been on a day trip organised by Irving’s, had been told to be at the bus pick-up point for 5.30pm, but a queue hold-up on a ride meant they did not return until 5.37pm.

 By that time the coach had gone – despite the driver stating he would wait until 5.40 pm before leaving.

Emily’s father had to make the 170-mile trip to pick them up.

Jodie, a St Aidan’s pupil, told the News & Star: “I still cannot believe this happened. We were only a few minutes late because a ride’s queue hadn’t been moving and then the ride lasted longer than we thought.

“We ran back to the bus zone as quickly as we could but we were seven minutes late. At first I wasn’t worried because the bus driver had said he would wait 10 extra minutes but soon I realised he had gone and left us.”

Because the group had no money they alerted staff, who said they could wait in the theme park’s hotel until Emily’s father arrived.

They eventually got home at 2am the next morning.

Jodie’s mother Jacqui said: “There is no excuse for what they did,” she said.

“Who leaves a bunch of kids in an unfamiliar area? “Alton Towers is based in the middle of nowhere on a dark country road. Anything could have happened.

“The kids shouldn’t have been late but if the coach company is willing to take teenagers on trips they should be prepared to give them a bit of leeway, especially when you’re only talking seven minutes.

“You’d think in this day and age that people would look after the younger people in the community.”

Ann Irving, a director of Irving’s Coaches, based on Jesmond Street, Carlisle, said the bus driver had no choice but to leave the children behind.

“There are strict policies that the bus driver has to follow so he had to leave them,” she said. “The driver needed to get back up to Carlisle before his driving hours were used up. There are tight working regulations for drivers so we have to keep to a strict schedule. The driver waited for five minutes before setting off.”

But Miss Irving also admitted the driver in question had made an error, adding: “It was the driver’s first day doing those sorts of trips. Usually the drivers should say be back for 5.15pm so they can leave at 5.30pm.”

Miss Irving said the company had not been aware a 13-year-old was on board. “We didn’t know he was that young, but even so he isn’t too young to get back on time,” she said.

“In future we will have to start checking ages. Anybody under 16 will not be allowed on the trips without a responsible adult.”