Towcester: Six Indian variant Covid cases found at school

Mass testing for Covid-19 is taking place at Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School in Towcester

Six cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19 have been found at a school.

Testing is now taking place at Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the new variant could affect the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in the future.

Lucy Wightman, joint director of public health for Northamptonshire, said: "This outbreak reminds us the virus is still out there."

Public Health Northamptonshire said it had been told by Public Health England (PHE) on Tuesday that six cases had been identified in the county.

The cases are believed to be part of a national cluster and not related to international travel.

PHE identified the variant after a process known as sequencing was carried out on tests taken by those who had Covid-19.

Public Health Northamptonshire has now put plans in place to test throughout the school community.

Pupils, parents, household contacts and childcare bubbles are being asked to take part.

Mrs Wightman said the school had been "hugely supportive".

"This operation is now under way with trained staff providing support to the school community," she said.

"This outbreak reminds us that the virus is still out there - it's our job to limit transmission wherever possible and the main route of that in Northamptonshire continues to be through household mixing."