PUPILS at a Darlington school are to be offered the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine after more cases of mumps were identified in the town.

Health teams are due to go into Carmel Technology College on Tuesday to offer the combined vaccine to older students after ten suspected cases of mumps were found at the school.

Samples from at least four of the suspected cases have been sent off for laboratory tests.

The vaccination plan comes after a similar programme at the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College last month, where more than 560 students received the MMR jab and others went to their GPs to be vaccinated.

There were 12 suspected cases among the sixth form college's 1,400 pupils.

Vaccinations will be given to prevent the disease spreading among older students who may not have been vaccinated as children.

Until recently, just one case of mumps had been confirmed in the past five years.

In 1999 there were four notified cases, but only one proved to be mumps.

Wholesale vaccinations against mumps, measles and rubella were introduced by the Department of Health in 1988 but many students aged 15 and over missed the jabs.

There are also concerns that teenagers could infect younger brothers and sisters who have no immunity.

Leaflets, letters and consent forms will be distributed to teenagers and parents.

Director of Public Health Nonnie Crawford said: "It isn't unusual for schools to have sporadic cases of mumps. In fact, it would be unusual if they didn't. But where there are numbers of particularly sixth form students contracting the virus it is prudent to take action."

Symptoms include high temperature, headaches and swelling in the saliva glands in front of the ears.

Mumps can cause swelling of the testicles or ovaries, deafness, meningitis and inflammation of the brain and pancreas.

Like many viruses, infection risk is minimised by good hygiene, such as covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, washing hands regularly and disposing of tissues sensibly.

If people have any queries about the virus they should contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647.