WHEN it comes to school trips, Hythe Pier comes top of the class for pupils at a New Forest infant school.

Children at Foxhills Infant School, in Colbury, had a wonderful time when they visited the pier as part of their geography topic work.

Staff and pupils at the school are supporting the Daily Echo's campaign to save the Hythe ferry, which links the Waterside village with Southampton.

The school's work on the pier is part of a new study unit, which has just been written, and staff are hoping to use it every year.

"We have written a whole scheme of work about Hythe Pier and we want to continue it because our visit on Thursday was such a great success," said teacher Caroline Biggs.

"If we can't do it next year it will take out a massive part of our study scheme."

Year 2 pupils have been comparing Hythe Pier to another pier on the Isle of Coll in Scotland.

They had a great time visiting the local pier they have been learning so much about, and they rode the train which takes passengers to and from the ferry every day.

Miss Biggs added: "It was a great experience for the children to go and visit something that is so historical.

"They benefited greatly from the whole day.

"They loved going on the train and enjoyed learning more about their local history.

"It was a really practical day and a lot of them had never been to Hythe before, which is a real shame."

The future of both the Hythe ferry and its pier is in jeopardy after White Horse Ferries announced that it could not afford to pay spiralling business rates.

Their new bills threaten to eventually cost them thousands of extra pounds for the already heavily subsidised service.