THE transport company which employed a driver suspected of drink driving while taking school children to France says it has launched a full investigation into the matter.

Teachers challenged the driver after they spotted him drinking from a polystyrene cup believed to contain red wine in his cab, despite driving a bus carrying 34 young people in their early teens.

Staff from North Durham Academy, in Stanley, County Durham, demanded he took a breath test using the onboard breathalyser kit during a lunch stop in Amiens.

It was said the British driver refused and fled the coach with a wine bottle before making an attempt to hide it behind a tree.

He was held by French police on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol shortly afterwards and took a breath test carried out by officers.

A spokeswoman for Travelsure, the Northumberland based company, which provided the driver said he had later been freed without charge.

In a statement released on Saturday night she said: "An incident occurred on Friday afternoon in France in which a coach driver was alleged to have consumed alcohol whilst driving. 

"The driver was requested by the teaching staff to take a breathalyser test, which he did and passed, using one of the two breathalysers carried on the coach, as specified by French law. 

"The police had already been called and when they attended he was taken away for questioning. 

"The driver has since been released without charge or fine.

"We are unable to comment further on the circumstances until we have carried out a full investigation and been able to speak with all parties involved to establish the true facts."

Defending the driver's record, the spokeswoman continued: "This self-employed casual driver has worked with us over many years and has always been reliable and professional. 

"He has over 40 years experience in the industry, having operated his own European coach business before going self employed on a casual basis.

"We have flown a driver over to Paris to complete the job.

"We have a strict drink driving policy in place and do not tolerate any breach of regulation.

"This matter will be investigated fully but at present we can confirm that the driver has been released without charge.'

Two staff went with French police to give evidence at the police station, while another two waited with children for a relief driver, who was French, to take the pupils to their hotel safely.

The children were on a £300 three night trip to the French capital, visiting the sights before singing with a school choir at Disneyland Paris on Sunday.

Lisa Nattrass, whose 14-year-old son, Rhys Glendinning, is on the trip, said: “When I was told by the academy there had been an incident I was close to tears, which soon turned anger when I was told what had happened.

“I am thankful they are all okay and how great the staff were.”

Teachers acted after suspicions were raised late yesterday afternoon and the man was arrested.

The trip was booked though the School Travel Service and chartered  from Travelsure, based in Belford, Northumberland.

Durham County Councillor Carl Marshall, who is a school governor at the £30m Academy, which opened last September, said on Friday: "I am really pleased that all the children and young people are safe and can continue with their trip to Paris, which they have been looking forward to for a very long time."