FOUR more schools are closed today due to a winter vomiting bug outbreak.

Meanwhile the school first hit by the outbreak reopened today but will be closed again tomorrow due to a "significant and growing number" of students and staff being struck down.

Parkside School in Cullingworth revealed earlier this week that a “serious outbreak of norovirus” had affected more than 15 per cent of its school population.

It closed on Monday and re-opened today, but parents have received a letter saying the school will be shut again tomorrow and the Christmas fair planned for Saturday will be cancelled. 

The letter, seen by the Telegraph & Argus, says: "Many thanks for your support during the difficult period it is having with regard to illness/virus.

"We had hoped the 2 day shutdown would stop any issues and minimise disruption to students' education, however, having returned to school following a 'deep clean', it is clear that this has not 'broken the cycle' of the virus nor other flu symptoms and again a signficant and growing number of students/staff have been unable to attend or remain in school.

"We have again had discussions with Public Health England and in order to protect the health of all concerned, including wider families (which is our paramount concern), we have had to unfortunately make the following decisions.

  • The school will be closed on Friday 29-11-2019 (to make sure transference of the virus is given full opportunity to be broken)
  • We have also had to cancel the Christmas fair scheduled for Saturday 30th November.

"Again we re-iterate that this is done to support the health and wellbeing of all concerned and thank you again for your support."

Parents hit out at the school after it warned pupils just days before the shutdown that ‘tummy upsets’ and ‘headaches’ are not acceptable reasons for absence.

The advice for anyone affected with the illness is to keep them isolated, avoid A&E or GPs as this may spread the virus, drink regularly and take age-appropriate paracetamol.

According to Bradford Council's website, Beckfoot Oakbank, Beechcliffe Special School, Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Children and Horton Park Primary School are also closed and will re-open on Monday.