UKSA has announced it will suspending all operations on all of their sites from March 22 following coronavirus advice from the government.

The company said all students staying at their Cowes site will now be sent home.

Ben Wellows, UKSA chief executive, said: "These are unprecedented times. Our responsibility is clear and our priority is as always, to safeguard our employees and the thousands of young people who study, train and simply have fun with us.

"We have been planning for this scenario for several weeks, and we are continuing to work with our staff, our customers and partners, many of whom are also facing complex issues.

"This is a very unsettling time for everyone. We have plans in place to manage through this difficult situation and we look forward to getting our students and beneficiaries back on the water as soon as the current cloud lifts.

"Once we reopen, our goals will remain unchanged and, as the world moves forward, the work we do with young people will become increasingly vital.

"Our outdoor learning programmes will be the antithesis of the isolation young people will have faced.

"They will help to rebuild self-belief and confidence in the world around them.

"Through these difficult times, young people’s mental health will be challenged more than it has ever been before, outdoor learning can provide the opportunities to help them understanding their emotions, be calm and reflect as well as provide a platform to increase fitness and release energy."