The head-teacher of a pupil who died of suspected meningitis today paid tribute to "a lovely boy".

Angela Jeffery, head-teacher at Clayton Village Primary School, said the whole school was in shock.

She described how the six-year-old pupil, who has not been named, was sent home from school early on Friday afternoon because he felt poorly.

But staff had no idea that he was showing the first signs of the potentially fatal meningococcal disease.

They were devastated to hear of his death on Saturday morning from a family member.

Mrs Jeffery said: "We are not normally in school on Saturdays but this weekend we were there, getting ready for our summer fair.

"We immediately cancelled the fair and began to think about how we could tell all the parents."

A decision was taken to write to all parents with children at the Clayton Village school annexe in School Street.

At the moment the 250 pupils at the school are taught on a split site, with five classes at School Street and older children at the main site in John Street.

Experts say there is no need for parents to keep children away from school and no need for pupils to take antibiotics because a second case would be "very uncommon".

Pupils were told of the tragedy in a special assembly yesterday.