A Gloucestershire school has called off a visit by African teachers after parents raised concerns about pupils contracting the Ebola virus.

Teachers from Gambia were due to take part in a long-planned exchange trip at Raysfield Infants' School in Chipping Sodbury.

Health authorities were consulted about possible risks from Ebola but insisted there was "no reason" to cancel the trip on safety grounds.

The school was forced to postpone the exchange regardless following concerns and a meeting with parents last week.

Headteacher Alison Wood said: "Since August I have been in contact with Public Health England who have reassured me that there were no reasons to cancel the planned trip from the Gambian teachers on the grounds of safety.

"Over the last six years, we have developed strong ties with the Gambia and the exchange trip has provided a rich educational experience for all.

"However the level of concern from some parents about the planned trip has prompted Kristina Lundahl, director of education from The Future in our Hands in the Gambia, to postpone the trip.

"The last visit to Raysfield was such a fantastic experience for both the children of Raysfield and the Gambian teachers, even though it is safe to travel, she wouldn't want the trip to be overshadowed by the concerns.

"The wonderful links that Raysfield Infants' has with the Gambia will continue and possibly be strengthened by the decision to postpone. Having met with parents yesterday they are definitely supportive of a future trip."

The trip was planned last February when Mrs Wood and other members of staff were at The Future in our Hands in the Gambia.

In a letter to parents, Mrs Wood said the school had agreed to cancel the trip as it would be "overshadowed by concerns" and was trying to get a refund on the flights.

The trip cancellation comes after similar decisions by primary schools in the UK to reassure worried parents.

Howden-le-Wear Primary School in Country Durham announced that an exchange visit from a Ghanaian teacher teacher had been called off.

The school had been due to welcome the male teacher as part of an annual programme with the Great Commission Academy in Ghana, which has no known Ebola cases.

Parents were told the visit would be safe but continued to express concern, leading to the visit being postponed by headteacher Christopher Baines.

Earlier this month, St Simon's Catholic Primary School in Hazel Grove, Stockport, cancelled the visit of a charity worker and her son.

Kofi Mason-Sesay, nine, from Sierra Leone, was due to study at the school this month while his mother, Miriam, was on fundraising duties for the charity EducAid.

Ms Mason-Sesay and her son were screened and given unrestricted movement in the UK, but headteacher Elizabeth Inman stopped the visit after parents expressed "fears".