A party of York schoolchildren were subjected to a terrifying gang attack as they paid their respects at a memorial service beside British war graves on a Belgian battlefield.

The group of 40 pupils, aged 15 to 16, and three teachers, all from Oaklands School, in Acomb, were attacked by about 12 Belgian youths at a special "Last Post" service in Ypres yesterday teatime.

While they stood at the graves, on the site where hundreds of thousands of British soldiers lost their lives during some of the worst fighting of the First World War, a gang of Belgian teenagers approached and began pushing and kicking both teachers and pupils.

But the tables turned and members of the school party managed to chase the thugs away.

The gang jumped into waiting cars before speeding off.

Quick-thinking pupils made a note of their number plates and passed them to Belgian police.

The pupils, who were at the end of a five-day history trip run by travel firm NTS, returned home by coach early today as scheduled.

Those hurt in the attack were said to have suffered minor injuries, such as bruising and grazing.

Oaklands headteacher Michelle Burns said: "The staff and pupils showed great courage and dignity in the face of this terrible unprovoked attack. No-one retaliated, which was the right thing to do. It has been a terrible shock to the whole school."

Letters were being sent out today to the parents of pupils involved in the incident.

All the pupils involved in the attack were expected to be back at school later today.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "It appears they were attacked just because they were foreigners."

Assistant education officer Mark Ellis said: "As an authority, we are very concerned about what happened. The school has launched a thorough investigation and is liaising with police in Belgium."

Belgian police are said to have launched a "high level" investigation, and it is anticipated they will liaise with officers in York via Interpol.

Det Insp Phil Metcalfe, of York CID, said: "We have not as yet received any contact from the Belgian police but if we are asked to assist we will help in whatever way we can to catch the people involved in this cowardly attack."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.