Wokingham schoolgirls rescued in Himalayas back in the UK

A group of 20 schoolgirls who were stranded in the Himalayas following floods have returned to the UK.

The trekkers from Holt School in Wokingham were on a three-week expedition in Ladakh, northern India, organised by Adventure Lifesigns.

They were trapped after five days of rain and rescued by Indian Air Force helicopters on 7 August.

Group members Lauren Martin and Jess Warren said they "screamed and danced around" when they saw the rescue crew.

The girls, both 17, had been helping to rebuild a wall at a local school prior to being stranded.

After a couple of days trekking, Lauren said: "We had a massive group vote about whether to carry on going forward, and then we decided we had to come back because of the risk."

The group had to do some "pretty tricky river crossings" before realising they could not go any further, she said.

However, she said they had felt safe while they were trapped at a small campsite, because they had food and water, and were more concerned about missing their flight home.

A spokesman for Adventure Lifesigns said the group was made up of 20 pupils, three staff and five local guides.

Head teacher Suzanne Richards said the company running the expedition had been "excellent".