Several Students Collapse At Yorkshire School

Several students at a school in North Yorkshire collapsed in what has been described as a "ripple effect".

Around 40 students were treated at Outwood Academy in Ripon after they showed signs of sickness and feeling faint during a Remembrance Day service, according to a senior fire officer.

One boy was treated in hospital, while the others were treated at the school by ambulance staff.

One pupil said: "When the first boy was sick, we thought it was a one off but then there was a big slap on the floor and someone had fainted.

"After that it was a bit of a domino effect - another three or four collapsed and then people started leaving the hall to get fresh air."

She said that one of the boys was "a bit concussed" and "a couple of the girls had panic attacks".

Station manager Dave Winspear of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said the school was checked for any hazardous materials but none were found.

He said that the hall where the children had been was very warm, adding: "We are of the view the children just fainted and there was a ripple effect throughout the school.

"More children felt anxiety and started to feel concerned and the thing has escalated."

A parent, who did not want to be named, told Sky News: "We were not notified of the incident by the school and there was no mention on their Twitter feed so we called the school repeatedly until the line was free.

"A very reassuring lady on reception advised they were being inundated with calls from parents but that the parents of the affected children had already been contacted so if we hadn't heard anything, our children were fine.

"I was told that a couple of children were taken ill in assembly earlier today and that emergency services were on site but no further information could be given at the moment."

The school is understood to have initially gone into lockdown after the incident but pupils were later released, many hugging parents waiting at the gate.

Sir Michael Wilkins, the school principal and chief executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said: "The safety of our students is always the most important thing for us to consider in these circumstances and we were happy to follow the emergency services direction whilst they established that no students were at risk."

Lessons will be held tomorrow as normal.