TWO Giggleswick School pupils are studying in the school's medical centre as a precaution against the SARS virus.

Before Easter the school advised students not to return home to Hong Kong or Guandong Province, China because of the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

However, 10 pupils did go back and were asked not to return to school unless they had already been in the UK for 10 days before the start of term and had a doctor's certificate.

All but two managed to return to the UK ahead of the start of term but two children were unable to do so and are staying in the medical centre until they have completed a "quarantine" period.

While all the children are fit and well, the school says it is taking this precaution to reduce any "minimal risk" still further.

Headmaster Geoffrey Boult said: "We will continue to assess the situation on a daily basis and the health of all pupils will be carefully watched.

"I think the reaction to SARS has been appalling. Anyone who is worried about the children returning should think how many planes fly in every day from Hong Kong? And at university there will be thousands of overseas students coming in."

Two pupils at Sedbergh Junior School in Bentham, who had returned home to Hong Kong, also had to ensure they had been in the UK for 10 days, while staff at Malsis School, Glusburn, said they had followed Government advice which was not to quarantine pupils but to ensure they were monitored twice a day.

Meanwhile a 63-year-old teacher from Addingham has decided to continue her voluntary work in China.

Veronica Schmitt, who only flew to the country to begin a two year contract with VSO in February, is based in the Hezhou region close to Guangzhou - where the Chinese outbreak is believed to have started.

She said: "We have been told to avoid any crowded places. It is not an ideal situation and many of the volunteers have been on the phone, uncertain what to do."