A SCHOOL hockey team stranded in Greece by the volcanic ash cloud crippling the UK's air traffic say they are “in good spirits but just want to get home”.

Three teachers and 26 students from John Hampden Grammar School are holed up in the lobby of a hotel in the Glyfada region of Athens, after almost all flights in UK airspace were grounded by the ash plume.

Planes cannot fly through the huge cloud of ash caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland.

The cloud contains small particles of rock and glass which can get into jet engines and ventilation systems, causing the plane to shut down.

The school's under 16 hockey team had just completed a successful three game tour of Greece, the first team to tour since Australia's gold medal winning side at the 2000 Olympics.

The party was due to fly back at 5pm today but were told this morning that they would have to remain in the Greek capital until air traffic control body Nats lifted the flight ban.

Deputy headteacher Andrew Wright told the Bucks Free Press his party had checked out of their accommodation before news of their cancelled flight had filtered through – causing a “frantic scramble around the city for a hotel”.

He said the boys are “a little bit bored but in good spirits” and praised the way the team were handling the situation.

He said: “They are coping extremely well. They've spent most of the day in the hotel lobby playing computer games and listening to iPods, so they're a little bored but in good spirits.

“We took them all out for a long lunch break to give them something to do.

"They really have done High Wycombe and the school proud in the way they've conducted themselves.

“But we were very fortunate to find a hotel because everywhere is completely booked up – the boys will be three in a room, which isn't ideal, but we'll cope.

“It has been a brilliant trip, I think we are the first touring team to have been here since the Australians and we became the first team to beat the Greek Under 21 national side.

"It has been great but I think everyone just wants to get home now.”

The group hope to fly home tomorrow morning if the flight ban is lifted but Mr Wright admitted that was unlikely and he was preparing for “another couple of days” away.

Captain of the hockey side, 16-year-old Liam Ansell, said despite the delays, the trip “had been one of the best he had been on” and gave a ringing endorsement to the teachers.

He said: “It's not the best situation but we're all just getting on with it and trying to keep ourselves occupied.

“I've not been able to speak to my parents as yet but between the teachers here and the school, they have been updating the school's website with information.

“It was successful trip on the pitch, playing against some high quality teams and the overall trip has been one of the best I've been on.

“The teachers have kept it fun with different games and forfeits but I think we're all just looking forward to getting back now.”