Emergency chiller units have been brought into Whitehaven Academy overnight to cool down classrooms for students sitting exams.

It is understood that temperatures have soared above 30 degrees inside the academy, with claims that some parents are keeping their children at home.

This resulted in Copeland MP Trudy Harrison put out a rallying call to local businesses who worked through the night to bring in the chiller units.

Mrs Harrison said she had been inundated with emails from irate parents about the situation.

A spokeswoman for Bright Tribe, the trust which runs the academy, said: "Over 40 portable air conditioning units are in the process of being delivered and fitted in classrooms and offices to balance the temperatures over the summer period.

"All windows at the school are currently open or in the process of being assessed to allow remedial work to take place.

"All classrooms have either curtains, blinds or roller blinds to block out direct sunlight in order to limit the temperature.

"All teachers are able to request the use of portable cooling fans to provide temporary cooling for students."

Parents and members of the Whitehaven Academy Action Group have taken to Twitter to vent their anger.