HUNDREDS of pupils and teachers have been confined to their beds by a flu-type bug spreading through Weymouth schools.

About 450 pupils and 15 teachers at Wey Valley College have been hit by the latest outbreak and are absent from school.

The Dorchester Road school is the worst affected by the virus. Only 60 per cent of its 1,280 pupils are well enough to attend the school.

Deputy head Peter Strange said the school had reverted to emergency strategies developed when a large number of staff were ill three years ago.

He said: "Some classes are doubling up. The classes might be slightly larger that normal but at least the students are being taught.

"Twelve staff were off on Monday but we are not allowed to pull in supply teachers until three days of sickness.

"A trickle of people were off last month but it just seems to have come to a head since the weekend.

"Schools are notoriously bad for this sort of thing because of the close environment people are in."

Last night's year nine parents evening was cancelled because of staff absences.

Mr Strange said the illness has a mixture of symptoms including headaches, blocked sinuses, aching limbs and coughing.

All Saints School has experienced similar problems recently when about 100 of its 840 students were off.

Deputy head Clive Faircloth said: "On our worst day, we had between 90 and 100 more children than usual off. There were only three days when it was particularly bad, but it is all under control now."

The initial symptoms observed by staff included tummy upsets and throat and chest infections.

Mr Faircloth added: "Our staff have been wonderful. They struggled on in to keep the school going."

Doctors believe the symptoms are caused by a virus, which means it cannot be treated with antibiotics, and could last up to a week..

Dr Steve Bick, from the Dorchester Road Surgery in Weymouth, said: "It is quite uncommon for so many children to come down with a virus at one time. Sometimes viruses spread faster when the weather is a bit warmer, but a cold spell would put a stop to that.

"People should cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze. When we sneeze we release about a million droplets and you can get a couple of viruses on each.

"If they think they have a serious chest infection they should see their GP otherwise they need just rest, paracetamol and lots of fluid."

Budmouth Technology College head David Akers said his school was not affected by the bug and schools on Portland are also unaffected.

Rob Russell, deputy head at Royal Manor School, said: "We have the normal things at this time of year - some children off with colds - but no dramatic increases in the number of absentees so we're keeping our fingers crossed that the bug is staying on the mainland."