A flu-type illness has spread to five schools in the town forcing one to shut for a deep clean.

Samples taken from pupils attending two of the schools have confirmed influenza type B – a rapidly spreading virus which, although a milder form of the flu, is rarer so young children are not immune to it.

Grange Junior School in Stratton St Margaret has been closed for 72 hours in a bid to stop the bug from spreading and is currently undergoing a deep clean operation.

At that school alone, 160 pupils are suffering with the bug out of the 323 children at the school.

A spokesman for Swindon Council also confirmed that a third of the 20 members of staff were also off sick.

He added that Grange Junior School was the only one forced to close because there was also an outbreak of a separate vomiting bug at the same time. The four other schools affected are: Colebrook Junior School; Colebrook Infants School; Seven Fields Primary School; and Catherine Wayte School.

The main symptoms reported have been fevers, sore throats, runny noses and painful muscles.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has been working alongside NHS Swindon, Swindon Council and the five schools to offer advice and give direction in the battle against the virus.

Dr Mark Evans, from the SW (North) Health Protection Unit, said: “Influenza can spread rapidly in places like schools, where there is regular contact between lots of youngsters.

“Some of the schools affected by flu have been found to have the less common ‘B’ strain of the virus, which is usually the milder form, fortunately.

“We have worked closely with the schools to ensure useful advice is sent out to parents, so that sick children do not come back to school too early, and continue to spread the virus.”