A SARS scare in Malvern last week proved to be a false alarm.

A teenage pupil at Malvern Girls' College, who had spent the Easter holidays at her home in Hong Kong, was taken away by paramedics in masks and gloves last Friday to Birmingham's Heartland Hospital.

The alarm was raised after the girl had maintained a high temperature during twice-daily tests being carried out at the Avenue Road school on 51 girls who had been abroad during the holidays.

After being kept in hospital over the weekend, the girl returned to school on Monday, fit and well.

School spokesman Jane Potter said that while they did not believe the girl, who is allergy prone, had contracted the pneumonia-like superbug, they had called for an ambulance as a precaution.

Mrs Potter said: "We were being over cautious. We've been taking extra precautions over and above what the Government has said and that's why we took steps to take her to hospital."

Today (Friday), the 10-day incubation period of the virus will expire for pupils who returned to Malvern Girls' College, Malvern College, Abbey International College and St James's School from Easter holidays abroad.