Five members of staff have been suspended from a school where an 11-year-old boy was left dying in a corridor during an asthma attack.

The move comes after an inquest jury ruled a catalogue of errors at Offerton High School in Stockport 'significantly contributed' to Sam Linton's death.

We can reveal that those suspended include headteacher Evelyn Leslie and Jan Ford – the teacher who told Sam to sit in a corridor after he became unwell. But Sam's parents said the move was 'too little, too late'.

Dad Paul Linton, 45, said: "This is a knee-jerk reaction. If they were going to suspend the staff they should have done it as soon as he died."

The other three suspended workers are understood to be support staff.

The suspensions come as part of a new investigation, launched by the school and council in the light of the inquest result.

A council spokesman said the five had been suspended 'without prejudice' pending the outcome.

The inquest heard how Sam was seen wheezing and continuously using his inhaler at school between 12.20-3.30pm - but staff failed to dial 999. Sam's mum Karen was eventually called to take him to hospital and found him grey with his lips blue.

She rushed him to Stepping Hill Hospital but it was too late to save Sam and he died just two hours later.

The inquest, at Stockport Coroner's Court, returned a verdict of death by natural causes 'significantly contributed to' by neglect.

The jury ruled that Offerton High School had failed to implement an in-school asthma policy, failed to train staff in dealing with asthma, failed to keep a health care plan, failed to share information with staff about Sam's asthma attacks and failed to monitor Sam's condition on the day of his death.

It was later revealed that Stockport council had three times decided not to hold a serious case review – instead having an internal management review.

The council said the latest probe came 'in the light of the detailed evidence presented to the inquest, and the verdict reached by the jury'.

A spokesman said: "While it has been some time since Sam's death there has not been a period of inactivity.

"Immediately following Sam's death, the governing body reviewed the handling of pupils' medical needs relating to asthma and other medical conditions, and has adapted systems and practices at the school.

"While the case did not meet the criteria for a serious case review the panel immediately commissioned an independent management review as all agreed that there were lessons to be learned."

Ms Ford declined to comment last night. Ms Leslie could not be contacted.

Sam's family's representative Jonathan Betts said: "The council's response to this tragic death has been a lesson in how to create an inexcusable delay in undertaking what was an urgent investigation and instead generate paperwork and reports.

"The council may say there hasn't been a period of inactivity but Sam's family beg to differ, given his tragic death occurred in December 2007."