PUPILS at a Southampton school will today be tested for tuberculosis following the death of a classmate from the disease.

The news follows calls from more than 70 anxious parents, who have demanded help from experts at the Health Protection Agency and NHS Direct following the death of schoolgirl Uzma Khan.

The 13-year-old Regents Park Girls' School pupil had been ill for some time before losing her battle against TB just over two weeks ago. She had been absent from school since January and died at Southampton General Hosp-ital after her condition deteriorated.

Her death will be subject to an independent review to be made on behalf of Southampton Primary Care Trust by either the Department of Health or the Strategic Health Authority.

The review will investigate circumstances and care leading up to Uzma's death.

There are about 7,000 cases of TB every year in the UK, and most can be successfully treated with antibiotics.

Health Protection Agency chiefs have urged parents not to worry, and confirmed that testing will begin at the school today in keeping with the necessary six-week incubation period.

Spokesman Liz Morgan-Lewis said pupils have each received two letters since Uzma's death, notifying them of her death and telling them that tests will be carried out.

Ms Morgan-Lewis said: "The body reacts very slowly to the presence of TB. The only way you can measure it is by looking at the body's response six weeks after the last contact with the disease. That is the reason for the delay and it's a good scientific reason.

"We have made an offer to the school to have a question and answer session but we have not yet had a reply inviting us to go ahead with that."

Uzma's family, who live in central Southampton, are understood to be in Pakistan, where they flew to bury her before observing 40 days and 40 nights of mourning.

Tests on pupils and staff who were in contact with Uzma during her illness will be carried out from today.

Regents Park Girls' School head teacher Sarah Hill was unavailable to comment.