Parents of children at a Shropshire secondary school have spoken of their concern after being told a pupil had been diagnosed as having suspected swine flu.

The pupil attends Rhyn Park School in St Martins, near Oswestry, and a letter was sent to parents on Wednesday by headteacher Richard Hedge.

He said the pupil would not be in school for the rest of term and medical advice was all children without symptoms should attend school as normal.

The school was open as normal on Thursday and yesterday. It has now closed for the summer holidays.

Mr Hedge said: “We followed the advice given and carried on with our planned end-of-term activities. I felt it was important to keep parents informed of the situation.”

One parent, who declined to be named, said: “It is a worry when you hear it is so close to home. The pupil involved is in my lad’s year and it is a big concern.”

A suspected case of swine flu has also been reported at the Bellan House nursery, Prepcare Nursery, in Oswestry.

Denise Kerr, nursery manager, said: “We have had one reported case of mild swine flu. The child is fine and remaining at home until symptoms clear as has been advised by its GP.”

The cases came as the number of deaths in the UK from the virus rose to 29.

In the latest case a woman who had contracted swine flu died shortly after giving birth prematurely.

The woman, who died in Whipps Cross Hospital, East London, was named by her brother as Ruptara Miah.

Abdul Malik said his sister had used a wheelchair for 15 years after a road accident.