HEALTH bosses are bracing themselves for a second wave of swine flu outbreaks after it was confirmed a high school pupil is suffering from the illness.

Two other pupils at James Brindley Science College, in Chell, have also been sent home suspected of contracting swine flu.

The school, in St Michael's Road, remains open, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council has told parents not to panic.

But Kim Beaumont-Thomas, who has a 14-year-old son at the school, said she was worried.

The 51-year-old, who lives in Smallthorne, and recently had swine flu herself, said: "My child and some others recently returned from a trip to Barcelona, and the school's headteacher rang me to tell me that they had a confirmed case of swine flu. It's a tough decision whether the school should close or not. I think if you're going to get it then you're going to get it some way or another.

"I've had swine flu and so has my partner, and it is dreadful. It just takes all the energy out of you and I felt like I was dying.

"I was even coughing up blood at one point. I couldn't move off the settee for about five days."

A city-wide vaccination programme to combat a possible second wave of swine flu is set to start next month, with "at risk" groups first in line.

A spokesman for NHS Stoke-on-Trent said: "Approximately 5,500 anti-virals have now been dispensed in Stoke-on-Trent.

"We are expecting and preparing ourselves for a second wave of swine flu during the autumn term, which is when the number of people with flu tends to increase.

"We will be issuing further information on our vaccination programme shortly and have an anti-viral centre which can be opened at 48 hours notice, and we have 15 pharmacies across the city which act as anti-viral collection points."

A spokesman for North Staffordshire PCT said: "The message from the Health Protection Agency is for schools to stay open as long as possible. They should only close for operational reasons, where there aren't enough teachers."