‘This is hell’ - Guiseley students hit by food poisoning during Belgium trip
Guiseley School has sent extra staff to Belgium to help, as some of those discharged from hospital made their way back to Leeds last night. A Leeds Council spokesman said 46 of the 80 year 11 pupils on the trip to visit First World War battlefields had been ill, as well as four teachers.
They would not confirm what had caused the illness, but some Belgian news reports said they became ill with food poisoning as their buses entered the ferry port at Zeebrugge. They said those affected had been taken to seven hospitals and the Red Cross was also involved in the operation.
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Hide AdYesterday Paul Clayton, acting co-headteacher of Guiseley School said: “Our first priority is always the safety of our children and we are in close contact with parents and carers. Extra staff from the school have now arrived in Belgium to assist further, and working with the Belgian authorities, we are hopeful that the children will be returning home tomorrow.”
Last night 23 of the 46 pupils affected had been discharged, as have all four of the staff
A parent waiting back in Leeds said: “My son’s been discharged now and he’s not been too worried but I’m sure some children and some parents will have been a lot more concerned.”
Another father said he got a phone call from his 15-year-old daughter telling him that they would not be getting the overnight ferry as some of the Year 11 students were being sick. He said: “They started dropping, every 10 or 15 minutes another pupil was being sick.”