PARENTS have been advised not to keep their children away from a Blackburn school where a pupil has been struck by suspected meningitis.

The seven-year-old girl, who has not been named, is a pupil at St Luke and St Philip's CE School in Hancock Street, Blackburn.

Health officials said she was "very poorly" in the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.

St Luke and St Philips' head teacher, Frank Jeffs, said he was notified of the case yesterday morning.

After taking advice from the East Lancashire Health Authority a letter was sent out to parents.

He said: "All I can do is follow the advice that they have offered that pupils at the school should attend as normal.

"Obviously our hearts go out to the family and they will be in our thoughts and prayers at what is a very difficult time for them."

Dr Roberta Marshall, consultant in communicable disease control for East Lancashire Health Authority, said there was no reason for parents to panic.

Dr Marshall said antibiotics were not usually given to others at a school where there was just one case of the disease.

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