Parents collected the pupil from St Mary's Primary School in Kettering yesterday after Kettering General Hospital confirmed the child was suffering from clostridium difficile.

Headteacher John Gardiner said: "The child came to school in the morning. They had been checked at the hospital and had results which were negative.

"The parents were later informed by the hospital that the results were positive and they came to collect the child."

The pupil is believed to be recovering well from the superbug, which can cause severe diarrhoea.

The school disinfected all rooms and corridors the pupil had been in contact with yesterday and toilets the child had used were closed to be thoroughly disinfected.

Letters reporting the case were sent home to parents but the school
will remain open.

Mr Gardiner said: "Health and safety officials have been contacted. They said they were happy with what we have done. It is not known where the child got it from."

A parent of a reception class pupil, who asked not to be named, said: "My girl has come down with sickness and diarrhoea a number of times.

"I'm thinking of pulling my girl out of school."

Mr Gardiner said he had no concerns about hygiene standards at the school.

The school refused to say which class the child was in or how old they were.

Children rarely become ill with C-diff, which normally strikes elderly people in hospital. More than 80 per cent of infections are reported in people aged over 65.

C-diff is present in the intestine of three per cent of adults and two thirds of infants but is kept in check by 'good' bacteria.

When certain antibiotics disturb the balance of bacteria in the gut, C-diff can multiply rapidly and produce toxins which lead to illness.

The Health Department website advises regular hand washing to prevent the spread of the disease and not relying on alcohol gel, which does not kill the spores.