PUBLIC health bosses are continuing to give support to parents at the Bolton primary school hit by a meningitis outbreak.

Four-year-old Astley Bridge child Ashley Rigby died on Tuesday after contracting the meningococcal septicaemia strain of the virus.

Ashley, a pupil at Holy Infant and St Antony RC Primary School, Astley Bridge, was the second child at the school to contract the bug.

The first, a boy of the same age, has made a full recovery.

Yesterday a communicable disease control nurse was at the school giving help and information to parents.

Particular attention is being focused on the reception class which Ashley attended. All pupils in that class have been given antibiotics, as have the parents and close relatives of Ashley. "We shall continue to offer help and support and give reassurance when and where we can," said Dr Robert Aston, consultant in communicable disease control with Wigan and Bolton Health Authority.

"This is a close knit community and everyone is being of tremendous support to the family which is obviously devastated by this very sad death."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.