AN INFANT school has been struck with a vomiting virus this week, resulting in pupils being sent home as a precaution.

The virus broke out at Old Basing Infant School, in The Mead, on Tuesday. 

As a precaution, siblings of children affected, including those at St Mary’s Junior School and The Costello School, in Crossborough Hill, were sent home for 48 hours.

They are due back to school tomorrow.

Caroline Welch, headteacher at St Mary’s Junior School, in Belle Vue Road, Old Basing, was unable to say how many children had been affected, but said the schools had taken advice from Public Health England. 

She added: “None of our pupils had been sick while at school. A few have been absent from school for illness this week. The headteacher at Old Basing Infants School contacted me on Wednesday, after a significant number of the children there did not attend school due to sickness and, following the Public Health advice given to Old Basing Infants, we arranged, as a precaution, for parents to collect their older siblings who are at this school. 

"Similarly, as a further precaution, we sent home children who reported feeling unwell but the majority of their parents have advised that those children have not had any further symptoms.”