More than 600 pupils have been kept at home today after a sickness bug broke out at Oakfield Community Primary School in Dartford.

The school has been struck by the norovirus, which causes severe vomiting and diarrohoea, leaving more than 85% of the school's 700 pupils at home. More than 100 children fell ill.

Parents were encouraged to keep their children at home today and the school will be subject to a deep clean over the weekend.

Executive head Garry Ratcliffe said: "We have had higher levels of absence than normal during the week and it came to a head yesterday when we had over 100 children absent.

"We made the decision at around 5pm yesterday to give parents the option to keep their children at home today.

"Parents have been very supportive and so we have just under 10% of our children in today.

"I don't like closing the school, even on snow days we try to stay open, as we are very aware that parents have to work, but unfortunately in a big school these things can spread very quickly.

"The majority have therefore made the decision to keep them at home."

The school will have a deep clean tomorrow and Mr Ratcliffe expects to return to normal operation on Monday.