Emotional scenes outside Liskeard Junior School greeted the return of 11 pupils from a canoe trip which nearly turned to tragedy on Wednesday. An inquiry was getting under way yesterday into the incident which resulted in the children, aged ten and 11, being taken to Plymouth's Derriford Hospital for check-ups after two canoes capsized in the River Tamar between Calstock and Morwellham, throwing six of the youngsters into the freezing, turbulent waters. A police spokesman described how his colleagues began to fear the worst as they arrived at the scene to find two children and an instructor still missing – but the trio were found safe and well but cold a short distance downstream. Brixham Coastguard alerted its units on the Plymouth and Torpoint sides of the Tamar to attend the incident and tasked a rescue helicopter, although one unit and the helicopter were stood down when it became clear all the children were safe. Staff from Morwellham Quay visitor centre helped pull the stricken children and adults from the water and fed them hot soup before a fleet of ambulances began the transfer to Derriford. The children had set out on Wednesday morning from Liskeard Junior School to take part in a field trip at the county council's Delaware Outdoor Education Centre near Gunnislake which involved a canoe expedition on the Tamar. They were accompanied by three teachers and two members of staff from Cornwall Outdoors, which manages the centre on behalf of the local authority. Shortly after the group launched their canoes at around noon, two of the craft are understood to have made contact with tree branches and overturned, throwing six people into the water. Eyewitnesses described the river as being swollen by heavy overnight rain with an ebb tide running – a situation which prompted Liskeard county councillor George Hocking to question the wisdom of allowing children to go afloat in such conditions. He said he hoped the inquiry, launched by Cornwall Outdoors in the aftermath of the incident, would look closely into the matter. Awaiting The Health and Safety Executive has been made aware of the incident and a spokesman said it was awaiting further details before deciding whether to launch its own inquiry. Anthony Earl, chairman of the governors at Liskeard Junior School, said the school would co-operate fully with the local inquiry and said everyone concerned was relieved that the children, although cold, wet and suffering minor cuts and bruises, were otherwise unhurt. No-one else from the school was available to comment. Cornwall County Council issued a statement on behalf of the school which stressed that the entire party had been wearing standard buoyancy aids. 'The party of 11 pupils, three teachers and two centre staff were using eight canoes on a stretch of the River Tamar between Calstock and Morwellham,' it said. 'It appears that two of the canoes capsized when a tree branch was grabbed near to the shore. The persons in the water were soon taken safely ashore at Morwellham and the canoe trip was abandoned.' The statement added that while some minor injuries had been identified and were checked out at Derriford Hospital, the children were all well enough to be returned to the school by late afternoon, when they were met by anxious parents. Mum Debbie Ball hugged her ten-year-old daughter Zoe and explained how Zoe's sister had come back from school that afternoon saying she had not been able to find her sister at home time. 'I came to the school and they explained what had happened and that everyone was safe, but it is a relief to see Zoe,' she said. Stings Zoe herself was one of the lucky ones who escaped a dunking and said the worst she had suffered were nettle stings as she and her crewmates clambered up the shore to safety. She confirmed that the canoes had become caught up in tree branches and had overturned. 'It was scary – I've never seen anything like it except in films!' she said. But she was obviously delighted with the treatment she and her friends received at Morwellham Quay visitor centre where they were put in front of a fire and fed chicken soup and cakes. Another youngster, ten-year-old Sam Tucker, had been in one of the canoes which overturned. He described how the canoes hit a tree on the riverbank and tipped over when the occupants grabbed it to try and get clear. 'I was cold and scared to death,' he said. 'We were stranded under the water.' Staff at Morwellham were alerted by a train driver at the centre who spotted the party in trouble. Assistant director Bob Le Marchant described 'chaotic' scenes on the riverbank as his staff went to the aid of children and adults clinging to the bank. 'Some of the children thought the whole thing was brilliant but others were clearly traumatised,' he said.