A suspected gas leak meant eight members of staff at a school were hospitalised with breathing problems and children were sent home.

Gas engineers were carrying out safety checks at Epsom and Ewell High School today after eight people were hospitalised following after a suspected gas leak last week.

Fire and ambulance services were called to the co-educational secondary school in Ruxley Lane, Epsom to reports of people feeling unwell on Friday, January 29.

Crews from Epsom, Esher and Dorking fire stations were called to the school kitchen, which was refurbished in September.

They gave oxygen and administered first aid to nine people before paramedics from the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB) treated the casualties and took eight of them to Epsom Hospital.

The casualties suffered mild breathing irritation.

The crew from Dorking fire station brought a Detection Identifier Monitor to check for dangerous gases, but found nothing unusual.

A spokeswoman for Epsom and Ewell High School confirmed the school was closed and said further checks were being carried out by gas engineers today.

She said: “Some staff were taken ill so as a precaution we sent them to hospital.

“We didn’t have to evacuate, but we sent the children home because we could not give them lunch.

“The fire brigade came and sent their chemical team to investigate. They and engineers from the gas board found nothing untoward.

“We are having another gas engineer coming back today.”

A spokesman from Epsom fire station said they were called at 11.41am and by the time they arrived the kitchen had been sufficiently ventilated, but the casualties all reportedly had slightly raised carbon monoxide readings in their blood.

He said: “We can only really speculate what happened there at the moment.

“If it was a refrigerant gas it has probably leaked out and gone.

“There were nine of them that did not look well at all. Their colour was all wrong and they looked a bit blotchy.

“It was quite unpleasant for them to be honest. They said they were feeling unwell for a few days prior to that.”

A spokesperson from SECAMB said: “We were called in to Epsom and Ewell High School by the fire services at around 12.10pm to a potential gas leak.

“We took two ambulances and two paramedic cars in total.

“Eight people were taken to Epsom Hospital and treated for mild irritation to their breathing.”