School illness 'was mass hysteria'

A mystery illness which led to more than 50 schoolchildren and adults being taken to hospital may have been simply mass hysteria, it emerged today.

A total of 53 pupils and adults were examined by doctors after suddenly developing sickness and headaches.

Police and paramedics went to Collenswood School in Stevenage, on Thursday and ordered the evacuation of all 820 pupils and staff. Experts examined the buildings for clues to what caused the illness.

Police sealed off the road leading to the school and announcements on local radio asked parents to contact police if

their child had not returned home.

However, it now seems there was no physical reason for the mass sickness.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire police said: "Something must have caused this but we can't find it. There were children and adults who felt nauseous and a couple of adults had fainted but by the time paramedics arrived they were okay.

"We cannot categorically say it was a case of mass hysteria but we were rather surprised by the number of people who felt they were ill. I guess parents didn't want to risk anything and children might want a day off school."

Police and public health officials have now declared the school safe.

The 53 children and adults were checked by doctors at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage but later allowed home.

Consultant clinical psychologist Khwaja Abbas said: "When one person feels ill it is not uncommon for others around them to have the same symptoms. It is not hypochondria, the symptoms can be quite real. Mass hysteria is a likely explanation for what happened at the school."