Parents were told to keep their children away from St Bernadette’s RC Primary, in Wallsend, for two days last week as environmental health experts were called in.

Staff discovered rat droppings in two store rooms, including one for PE equipment, when they returned for the new school year.

Rentokil was called out, poison put down and several dead rats were later removed from one of the store rooms.

Despite now sorting the problem, parents have criticised the school for closing so soon into the new term and are questioning why a teacher or caretaker did not notice the problem during the summer holidays.

One mum said: “It would have been a real inconvenience to all the working parents as they would have had to take time off at short notice. We only got letters about it on Tuesday evening last week and the school was closed on the Thursday and Friday.

“I can see why it had to be dealt with quickly, but why wasn’t the problem spotted in the holidays? Failing that, why couldn’t they have done the work during the weekend?”

Parents are concerned children will miss out on sports lessons as it is believed some PE equipment had to be thrown out.

A woman whose grandson is in the reception class, said: “We got a letter on Monday saying a lot of resources, including PE equipment, would have to be replaced. It’s a real shame if some children miss out in the meantime and it will cost a lot to replace everything.”

North Tyneside Council stresses the school dealt with the issue as quickly as possible and that children were not put at any risk.

The authority’s environmental health section and Rentokil, with whom the council has a contract, were informed and the store rooms were cleared.

Rentokil says there are no rats left in the school.

A council spokeswoman said: “Following the summer holidays it was discovered the school had a minor rodent infestation. At no time did the experts feel that any of the children were at risk and the problem has now been dealt with.

“As a precaution the school was closed for two days last week so that work could take place to ensure the situation would not recur. Parents were informed of the closure and the school re-opened as scheduled on Monday.”

Although there was no evidence of rats having been anywhere else in the school, the roof void space was cleaned and all the drains around the school were flushed.

The two storerooms were cleaned and disinfected.