AN inquiry has been launched by World Challenge Expeditions following Amy's death.

The company, based in North Acton, West London, and Charles Rigby, chief executive of World Challenge, said: "Amy's death is a tragic accident. I am determined that we learn all possible lessons from this accident and have initiated an immediate internal enquiry.

"World Challenge Expeditions has an excellent record for safety and back-up and I am confident that everything possible was done in accordance with our thorough risk assessments and the Local Education Authority guidelines."

Buckinghamshire County Council changed its guidelines governing school trips after an incident 16 years ago when four schoolboys were killed.

A party of pupils from Stoke Poges Middle School were on a trip to Lands End in May 1985 when a freak wave washed four of the pupils away.

Headteacher at the time, Alec Askew, took early retirement over the incident in the wake of a report by the county council.

The report was critical of the headteacher and another teacher on the trip, and made a host of recommendations as to how future school trips should be organised.

Ian Park, county advisor for physical education at Buckinghamshire County Council, said one of the key issues to be addressed in the report was the ratio of staff to students.

He said: "The Stoke Poges tragedy was the one that really first made the news and made people think about safety on school visits.

"The new guidelines were adopted as the standard across the country."

He said the guidelines are continuously being updated and added: "The level of qualification required by instructors was reviewed, and a liaison system between the school party, the Local Education Authority and the school was set up to deal with any serious accidents."

Referring to the latest tragedy, Mr Park said: "Trips of this nature need the approval of the LEA. Wycombe High School came to us and met all our requirements so we granted permission."