Primary school closed after one third of pupils contract "flu like virus"

A primary school has been forced to close after at least one hundred and ten children have been hit with a 'flu-like virus'.

Around one-third of pupils who attend Rowlatts Mead Primary Academy in Leicester are suffering with sickness and vomiting after an outbreak of illness at the school.

A spokeswoman for the trust which runs the school said the virus would not been named following advice issued by Public Health England.

Pupils will be allowed back to classes on Thursday (5 December) as the school, which has around 350 children enrolled, plans to reopen at 8.35am.

During the two-day closure, staff will complete a "full and deep clean of the entire building" in a bid to eliminate the virus.

A number of children were off school on Friday (November 29) and were sick over the weekend, with more pupils off school on Monday (2 December).

A spokesperson for the primary school said the virus appears to have spread into the community and now seems to be affecting a number of schools in the area.

Public Health England advised the academy to close so that the entire school can be thoroughly cleaned prior to reopening.