VIRGIN Rail funded the fares for a group of children from Grayrigg School to London as a thank-you for when it was used as the crisis centre during the fatal 2007 Pendolino derailment.

Children from years three and six set off for the city residential from Oxenholme Railway Station early on Monday morning. Since then the pupils have enjoyed a riverboat cruise; a flight on the London Eye; visited the Natural History Museum and enjoyed the Tower Bridge experience where they walked the glass walkway.

On Tuesday they visited the Cambridge Theatre to see Matilda the Musical and even met one of the young cast on the tube back to their hotel!

Yesterday they were visiting the famous landmarks of Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Horseguards Parade and Downing Street before spending the afternoon at the Science Museum.

During the West Coast Main Line derailment, which resulted in the death of 84-year-old Margaret Masson, Grayrigg School was used as a Survivor Reception Centre.