Parents have been urged to use the Easter holiday to help stop the rampant spread of a winter vomiting bug which has shut more than 40 Bradford schools.

Education bosses say the virus is spreading to more schools by the day despite their efforts to contain it.

The illness has already forced 43 schools in the district to shut or partially close to allow major cleaning operations to take place.

And the number of schools banning visitors from coming on to the site has risen to 83.

Dixon's City Academy in West Bowling and Thornton Primary School are the latest to close.

Dixon's closed for its Easter holidays yesterday but Bradford College classes in the building over the next two weeks have been cancelled because of an outbreak of the illness.

Thornton Primary School in Thornton Road will close on Monday and Tuesday to allow a cleaning operation to take place.

There are expected to be 13 schools across Bradford closed on Monday because of winter vomiting. Schools break up for Easter at the end of the week beginning Monday, April 10.

Council bosses have urged parents not to allow children to attend community events during Easter to prevent the illness spreading further.

Anthony Mugan, the head of Bradford Council's education client team, said: "We are urging parents to help us to use the break to stop the spread of the bug and to keep their children at home if they are poorly.

"If children have symptoms of sickness or diarrhoea they should not attend any community events during the break, such as sports camps and activities in community halls, churches, schools or mosques until they have been well and clear of any symptoms for at least 48 hours."

Mr Mugan said the Council will assess whether deep-cleans of individual schools need to be carried out during the Easter holidays.

Nick Weller, the principal at Dixon's City Academy, has written to parents at the school to advise them of the closure.

He says: "Over the last couple of days a number of students have been absent with sickness.

"This could be attributed to the winter sickness virus which has affected many Bradford children."

Beckfoot School in Bingley has cancelled its Young Musician of the Year event on Wednesday because of restrictions preventing visitors coming on to the site.

The school is expecting to hold the event later in the year.

And an event which aimed to introduce 500 pupils from Bradford's primary and secondary schools to the health service has also had to be called off - because so many children are ill with winter vomiting. The NHS in the Hot Seat event had been due to run at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television on Monday.

Nab Wood School is closed because of the winter vomiting bug but the Council sport's centre on the same site in Cottingley New Road remains open.

Steve Warner, head of the Council's sport and leisure service, said: "The health and safety of our customers remains our highest priority at all times and although the adjacent Nab Wood School is closed because of winter vomiting Nab Wood Sports Centre remains open after discussions with environmental health."