A SCHOOL has been forced to close after almost half of its pupils and staff fell victim to winter vomiting disease.

By yesterday, 76 pupils and staff at Malsis School, Glusburn - including the school sister and catering manager - had been struck down with the norovirus, the most common cause of infectious gastroenteritis.

The school, which will reopen after half term on May 29, is now undergoing a thorough deep clean in order to wipe out the virus.

As soon as the first cases were reported towards the end of last week, the school consulted its doctor and, because of the numbers involved, the Infection Control Department at Airedale General Hospital.

The school, which has a number of boarders and a junior department for three to seven- years-olds, was advised to take precautionary steps, including stopping any contact with other schools - such as sporting fixtures.

It was also advised to isolate boarders for 72 hours after any symptoms had cleared up, send day pupils home and keep parents and visitors away from the school.

Headteacher Christopher Lush said following advice from the North Yorkshire Health Protection Unit in York, a decision was made on Monday to close the pre-preparatory department, Garden House, followed two days later by the rest of the school.

He said: "All in all, in spite of our best efforts, we have clearly not managed to bring the virus completely under control.

"Having taken advice from the North Yorkshire Protection Unit, I have decided to suspend the school and reopen after half term on Tuesday May 29 for boarders and Wednesday May 30 for day children."

Despite its efforts to control the virus, six children had returned to the school after recovering, only to be re-infected.

Mr Lush added: "Closure of the school - we were due to break up for half term on Wednesday May 23 - will hopefully break the root of infection within the Malsis community and give our cleaning staff the opportunity to deep clean the whole school - a considerable undertaking."

By Monday this week, 50 children out of 166 and 16 adults out of 70 had been infected with the virus. They were quickly followed by 10 more.

The North Yorkshire Protection Unit confirmed the outbreak of gastroenteritis had been caused by the norovirus.

Commonly known as winter vomiting disease, sufferers start by feeling sick and quickly develop stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

The virus is common to all age groups and likes semi-closed environments, like schools, nursing homes and cruise ships.

Dr Ebere Okereke, consultant in communicable disease control at the North Yorkshire Health Protection Agency, said outbreaks of norovirus were notoriously difficult to contain.

Mr Lush added that the children who had remained well had been a credit to the school.

"The children who are still well have been happy, sensible and busy. Indeed, we have celebrated news of two academic scholarship awards this week."

The school stayed open yesterday to help parents with work and travel commitments who might have found it difficult to find alternative care for their children.

"In addition, we needed to ensure that all boarders living in this country and overseas were able to return home earlier than expected," added Mr Lush.