A school will screen some students and staff after a pupil was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Public Health England said one student at Thornton Grammar had a case of active TB, after concerns from a parent.

Dr Leena Inamdar, consultant in communicable disease control at Public Health England Yorkshire and the Humber Centre, said: “Although TB is quite unusual in the UK, there are around 9,000 cases confirmed every year.

"TB is usually curable with a course of antibiotics and most cases present little or no risk to others.

“It’s important to be aware that any infection risk is low.

"TB does not spread very easily and tends to be passed on only after prolonged close contact with an infectious person who has TB of the lung, as it is spread through the air when infectious people who have the disease cough.

“The risk to staff and students is therefore low. But, as a precautionary measure, TB screening is being offered to the students and staff who may have had the closest contact with the individual concerned.”

"These people are being identified with the school and will be individually contacted and invited to have a screening test.

“Anyone who is identified to be screened is not ill and does not pose a risk to anyone else at the school.

"It is perfectly safe for staff and students to attend their activities in the school as normal.”