Virus hits school's IT system
Shropshire's largest secondary school has been hit by a major computer virus, shutting down its entire IT system.
Shropshire's largest secondary school has been hit by a major computer virus, shutting down its entire IT system.
Almost 900 computers were disabled at Oswestry's Marches School and Technology college yesterday in what Shropshire County Council called "technical issues".
The 1,300 students have been reassured that their school and exam coursework should not be affected.
The cause of the breakdown is not yet known, but it is feared to be a worm virus that has affected other major systems.
The "conficker worm" hit RAF and naval bases across Britain, including RAF Cosford last month shutting down computers and knocking out e-mails.
A spokesman for Shropshire County Council said: "The council and the Marches School are working together to resolve the technical issues that they are experiencing. We hope that this will cause minimal disruption to the school and the children.
"None of the children's exam work or coursework will be lost as a result of this problem and lessons are continuing as normal."
Peter Barfield, of Midlands Computers, which is working with the school said: "We haven't had the opportunity yet to analyse this particular instance, but have seen a particularly nasty type of virus called a worm conficker at one of our high profile clients."
