Tourism bosses have criticised a proposed law change to cut the school summer holidays to four weeks.

A bill, giving schools the power to set their own term times, is going through Parliament.

Bosses at 29 attractions, including Colchester Zoo’s director Dominique Tropeano, wrote a joint letter to the Government warning it could have a crippling effect on tourism.

It said: “The tourism industry relies on the summer months, and particularly the six-week school summer holiday period, for its success.

“Many in the tourism industry survived the recession by the skin of their teeth.

“The economic harm provided for within the bill is deeply worrying.”

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