A private coach service which took pupils to four schools has suddenly shut down.

Peter Reynolds Coaches, which provided school buses for Reach Free School, Rickmansworth School, St Clement Danes and St Joan of Arc, is no longer in operation.

The coach services announced that on December 20, 2019, the service would no longer run for the start of the 2020 school term.

In a statement on its website, the company said: "Peter Reynolds Coaches will sadly no longer be in operation due to family matters.

"For St Clement Danes Route queries please email Lanes Coaches at lanescoaches@ntlworld.com

"For Reach, Rickmansworth and Joan of Arc Queries please contact Davies Coaches at sales@daviescoaches.co.uk

"Peter Reynolds Coaches Passes will still be accepted for St Clement Danes, Joan of Arc and the Reach Free Schools except for the Pinner Bus and 846. Please refer to school communication regarding the refund process.

"We are deeply sorry we have had to close at such short notice but sadly this is unavoidable."

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council confirmed the closure and said: “We have been made aware that Peter Reynolds Coaches is closing, and we are working with other operators to ensure that all children who receive free travel to school will continue to do so.”

St Clement Danes school told parents in a school letter they had “no early warning” of the decision made by the service.

Other services including Lanes Coaches and Davies Coaches have taken over several of the routes which Peter Reynolds previously operated.

Two routes are however no longer in service:

• The Pinner Bus – Pinner, Ruislip and Harefield

• 846 – Bushey, Baldwins Lane, Scots Hill, Rickmansworth Town Centre and The Drive.

Parents affected by the cancelled routes have been issued refunds.

To find out the new available bus routes for these schools, you can find the information here:

The Observer contacted Peter Reynolds Coaches and Lanes Coaches before Christmas but did not hear back.