AN OUTBREAK of sickness and flu bugs has struck down one third of a secondary school’s 900 pupils.

Pupils and staff at Simon Langton Boys’ School, Canterbury, have been ill for up to five days with vomiting and fever. About 200 students remained were off school on Wednesday.

Teacher Ken Moffatt was one of several staff members affected by the illness.

He said: "I’ve not known anything like this in my time here. A large number of students and staff were caught in a pincer movement between two bugs.

"We were told by environmental health it was officially an outbreak. Fortunately staff members went down in domino fashion one after the other, and so teaching has not been badly affected."

Council environmental health officers were called to the school but no special measures needed to be taken.

On Monday a staff training day gave pupils a 24-hour reprieve from lessons.

The nearest secondary schools, Simon Langton Girls and St Anselm’s, said they had not suffered any absences through illness beyond what was expected for the time of year.