A WORRIED parent of two pupils sent home after their classmates tested positive for coronavirus has talked of the struggles of re-adapting to lockdown life.

Kelly Lambourne of West Swindon has a daughter at Lydiard Park Academy and a son on a pre-16 course at New College.

Both are self-isolating at home for 14 days after the academy sent 79 Year 10s home last Wednesday and the college did the same for some of its students on Friday.

They stay apart in their own bedrooms while two other school-age siblings being kept home by Kelly as an extra precaution keep their distance.

The 44-year-old said: “I’m panicking because I’m concerned that the rest of the family might get it. It’s worrying, especially as I have health issues too. We are managing, but it’s hard.

“They’re quite annoyed because they missed their friends during lockdown and now they can’t see them again for a while but we have to do what we need to do to keep everyone safe.

“It was bad enough for the first time round, we had four months of it and were just getting back into a normal routine.

“They did struggle during lockdown but enjoyed being back at school because there was more structure and the homework has been done well.”

Kelly’s main concern is the risk of potentially and unknowingly passing on the disease to more vulnerable relatives or work colleagues.

The students’ grandfather helps with childcare but he must shield away from them again for the foreseeable future.

Kelly added: “It’ll be difficult for them to not see him. It’s my birthday this week and it’ll be quite different to the usual celebrations.

“If people are asymptomatic, they might not show signs and it could spread before being noticed, you just don’t know, so this might happen again.

“It’s going to be on and off until a vaccine is sorted out, though I’m impressed with how the schools have handled this new situation as best they can.”

It is the third confirmed case of coronavirus at New College after a member of staff tested positive on September 21 and there was an unrelated positive result from a student on September 23.

A New College email seen by the Adver said: “We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a second confirmed case of Covid-19 within the student population.”