Stomach bug forces school closure

Pupils were sent home after 30 out of 49 teachers became ill.

A West Yorkshire school has been forced to send 700 pupils home after more than half of the teaching staff fell ill with a suspected stomach bug.

Farnley Park High School in Leeds took the decision after 30 teachers stayed at home because of the virus.

Only year seven pupils attended school on Wednesday and Thursday as they were unfamiliar with going-home procedures.

Environmental health officers said the school could stay open for younger pupils with the remaining 19 teachers.

A spokesperson for the school said: "As the year seven pupils were new on the day, they were not familiar with the sending home procedure and we could not guarantee their contact details.

"Environmental health told us that providing no teachers fell ill during the day - which they didn't - the younger pupils could stay."

The school will remain closed on Friday for all year groups except year seven.

It is thought the teachers contracted the virus after a training day earlier this week.