Councillor banned over Sars

By Hannah Bayman
BBC News Online, Southampton

A local councillor has been banned from her town hall in case she is carrying the deadly Sars virus.

Sheila Chapman, a Liberal Democrat member at North Dorset District Council, recently returned from seeing friends in Hong Kong, where the flu-like illness was first detected last month.

Travellers are wearing masks on the Hong Kong underground

The day after she came home a letter arrived from the council asking her to stay away, on advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Ms Chapman, 55, from Blandford, is now unable to canvas for the 1 May local elections, as WHO guidelines say she must keep at least a metre from other people.

She and her husband Gerry, 57, wore masks on the underground in Hong Kong to protect against Sars, which has so far killed more than 150 people and infected 3,000.

Mr Chapman's employers at Flight Refuelling, in Wimborne, have also told him to stay off for a fortnight.

Although she feels healthy, Ms Chapman visited her doctor the day she returned on 8 April, who told her to get help immediately if she or her husband developed a high temperature.

Ms Chapman must stay at least a metre from others

The couple have two children, Sian, 22, and Rhos, 21, both students who are on their Easter holidays.

Ms Chapman told BBC News Online: "We're an ex-forces family and this doesn't faze us. My son told me I'm a tough old bird and I'll cope.

'Dinner parties'

"He came home and put a big black cross on the door. Goodness knows what the postman thought.

"We live in a little close and are trying to respect our neighbours' concerns. Let's just say we haven't been having any dinner parties."

"I can't do any door-to-door canvassing for the election because of WHO advice, although I am calling voters."

Ms Chapman, who also works part time on her own in the office at a timber yard, hopes to return to the chamber after Easter.

As well as sitting on Conservative-controlled North Dorset District Council, Ms Chapman is also a member of Blandford Town Council.