GIANT head lice were taken by surprise when Chingford children attacked them with inflated bats as part of a nits awareness campaign last week.
Pupils from Chingford CoE Junior School, in Cambridge Road, took turns in whacking their hapless adversaries as parents and teachers were urged to tackle a 15 per cent rise in the number of lice-infested scalps this year.
Helen Maddin, from children's haircare company Vosene Kids, said the increase was due to the recent warm but wet weather, which creates the perfect breeding conditions for the insects.
The company is touring schools with its Nitwars campaign to help parents and teachers tackle the problem, estimated to cause children to miss 2.75 million school days a year while they stay at home to isolate the contagious infestation.
Parents can get medication for their child's scalp from their pharmacy and should avoid close contact, while teachers should watch out for children scratching their heads.
Mothers and fathers concerned enough to register an outbreak online can visit the website here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel