MID-Worcestershire's MP says he is "comfortable" schools will reopen in September, but has stressed there should be no complacency on coronavirus.

In recent days the government has stressed the current plan remains to have most children back in school nationally by September, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling it a "moral duty".

Schools across the UK original closed on March 20, except to children of key workers or vulnerable children, with a later limited reopening in June before the summer holidays.

But with time running out until September, teaching unions and some critics have questioned if enough is being done to ensure schools can reopen safely.

Nigel Huddleston said: "We have to be careful, we have to take appropriate measures to make sure the children, teachers, everybody is safe - but that has been the purpose of the published guidance.

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"Schools are an absolute priority. People often forget schools never closed, even in lockdown, and credit to staff at schools that were able to do that safely.

"We are of course now talking about larger numbers but all the operational and logistical measures are in the guidance, whether that's staggering arrival times and distancing in classrooms - it has been carefully thought through.

"I think there is a very broad consensus amongst the teaching profession, parents and children that they want to get back. For many parents it means they can get back to work - we have got to keep moving forward.

"We keep a close eye on the R rate of infection and when it goes above a certain level you have seen local lockdowns. I think that will continue to be the case going forward, so if at a local level there is an outbreak, local measures will need to be in place."