Pupils at a Menston school are being prioritised for vaccination against meningitis after the death of their deputy headmaster.

Students at St Mary's RC Comprehensive will be made a priority in an intensive vaccination programme under way across the country.

Youngsters in Years 11, 12 and 13 have already been immunised against the brain disease as part of the rolling programme, but those in Years seven, eight, nine and ten have still to be treated.

Head teacher Michael Pyle said he had been assured by Leeds Health Authority that the risk to pupils was slight.

He said: "The school is operating normally. There is no need to take urgent action but we will become a priority in the programme. The current advice I have from Leeds Public Health is that there is no need for pupils to stay at home."

The 1,100 pupils were informed about the death of Kevin Leaver on Monday and a letter was sent to parents offering advice and reassurance about the risks.

Leeds Education Authority is now offering counselling to staff and young people at the school. Mr Leaver, who had been at St Mary's for 28 years, thought he had flu after being taken ill last Thursday - the day after pupils returned to school from the Christmas break.

But the 50-year-old geography teacher was taken to Airedale Hospital, Steeton, on Friday morning after his condition deteriorated overnight. He died in hospital.

He lived in Burley-in-Wharfedale and leaves a widow, Lesley, and two teenage daughters - Laura, 16, who is a pupil at the school, and Claire, 18, who left St Mary's to study geography at Hull University.

The funeral was being held at Trinity and All Saints College, Horsforth, this morning and the school was closed as a mark of respect.

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