School lockdowns live – Primaries in Manchester and Cheshire on alert after email threats to pupils and staff
Malicious emails were sent to a number of schools in the North West on Tuesday morning
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Police have launched an investigation after malicious emails were sent to a number of schools in the North West, in what is now believed to be a “malicious hoax“.
Primary schools in Manchester, Cheshire and Liverpool have been placed on lockdown following the threats sent on Tuesday morning, with police officers in attendance to “provide reassurance” to staff.
Lache Primary School in Chester told parents in a statement that, having safely continued with learning while officers probed the threats, it was now “happy to release the children but this will need to be in a staggered and controlled way”.
Both Cheshire Constabulary and Greater Manchester Police are investigating, with GMP remarking that it will be providing “assurance” to both schools and the wider public.
Chief Inspector Chris Boyd, of GMP’s City of Manchester Division, said: ”We take reports of this nature very seriously and whilst we have not advised any schools to close, our officers will nevertheless be stepping up their high-visibility presence around schools at the end of the day today to provide reassurance to them and the wider public.”
Have you been affected by this story? If so email joe.middleton@independent.co.uk
News comes just one day after number of schools in Hull also placed in lockdown
The latest news comes just one day after a number of schools in Hull were placed in lockdown following malicious emails, The Mirror reports.
Parents and guardians across two primary schools later received communications from the school that following police probes, the messages had turned out to be a “hoax.
Police ‘only arrived’ at primary school after parents ‘turned up’, aunt of pupil says
The aunt of a 7-year-old pupil at Lache Primary School has said that there was “no police presence” at the school, with officers “only arriving” after parents “turned up.”
“It was a stressful day as my 7 y/o niece is a pupil. A Lot of parents gathered outside the school after the school posted a very vague Facebook post”, the pupil’s aunt told The Independent.
“There was NO police presence, police only arrived after parents turned up (I assume this was to stop a mob).
“Some parents suggested they would force enter to retrieve their children.
“There was a lack of communication from the schools part and the police. Then after hours of stress no official statement was made and the gates opened.”
Police riot van stationed at Manchester High School for Girls
A police riot van was confirmed to be at Manchester High School for Girls, Manchester Evening News reports.
Chief Inspector Chris Boyd of GMP’s City of Manchester Division, said: “We take reports of this nature very seriously and whilst we have not advised any schools to close, our officers will nevertheless be stepping up their high-visibility presence around schools at the end of the day today to provide reassurance to them and the wider public.”
Schools in lockdown in the north west as police probe ‘malicious emails’
Police have launched an investigation after malicious emails were sent to a number of schools in the north-west.
Chester Constabulary (CC) and Great Manchester Police (GMP) both received reports of “malicious communications” sent to schools in Chester, Ellesmere Port and the city of Manchester.
Lache Primary School, in Chester, has told parents on its Facebook group that the school is in lockdown and parents are unable to pick up their children after receiving an “unpleasant email”.
Read more from Joe Middleton here:
Schools in lockdown in the north west as police probe ‘malicious emails’
Chester Constabulary (CC) and Great Manchester Police (GMP) both received reports of ‘malicious communications’
Parents heard about threats to school through a ‘parent WhatsApp group’
Some parents and guardians of students at Manchester High School for Girls heard about the threats made to the school via a “parent WhatsApp group”, the Manchester Evening News reports.
“It could have been frightening but everyone is okay”, one concerned parent told the publication.
Merseyside Police ‘haven’t been made aware of anything'
Merseyside Police “haven’t been made aware of anything” involving schools in Liverpool, the Echo reports.
Not clear how many other schools have received threats
It is not currently clear how many other schools have been sent the email or its exact contents.
Detective Chief Inspector Justin Hancock of CC said: “We would like to reassure parents that this is believed to be malicious and we are doing everything we can to locate the person responsible for these emails.”
Chief Inspector Chris Boyd of GMP’s City of Manchester Division, said: “We take reports of this nature very seriously and whilst we have not advised any schools to close, our officers will nevertheless be stepping up their high-visibility presence around schools at the end of the day today to provide reassurance to them and the wider public.”
ICYMI: Schools in lockdown in the north west as police probe ‘malicious emails’
Police have launched an investigation after malicious emails were sent to a number of schools in the north-west which forced one of them to go into lockdown.
Chester Constabulary (CC) and Great Manchester Police (GMP) both received reports on Tuesday morning of threats to teachers and pupils sent to schools in Chester, Ellesmere Port and the city of Manchester.
Both forces have now launched an investigation and officers have been visiting schools to provide reassurance.
Lache Primary School, in Chester, has told parents on its Facebook group that the school is in lockdown and parents are unable to pick up their children after receiving an “unpleasant email”.
Joe Middleton reports:
Schools in lockdown in the north west as police probe ‘malicious emails’
Chester Constabulary (CC) and Great Manchester Police (GMP) both received reports of ‘malicious communications’
ICYMI: Which schools have been impacted?
Police have launched an investigation after malicious emails were sent to a number of schools in the north-west in what is now believed to be a “malicious hoax.”
Schools in Manchester, Cheshire and Liverpool have been placed on lockdown following the threats sent on Tuesday morning, with police officers in attendance to “provide reassurance” to staff.
Lache Primary School and Manchester High School for Girls are now no longer in lockdown. Meanwhile, Manchester Grammar School and Withington Girls’ School have been contacted for comment.
‘We do not know whether this threat is credible’ - Manchester High School for Girls
In an email to parents and guardians of students at Manchester High School for Girls, headmistress Helen Joys earlier confirmed that children could be collected after 4.30pm and that she did not yet know “whether this threat is credible.”
“We wanted to let you know that, alongside many other schools in the area, we have received a threat to the school. We do not know whether this threat is credible but I am treating it as such until I receive information from the police to the contrary”, an email from the headmistress read, Manchester Evening News reports.
“As a result, we have kept pupils inside the school buildings throughout the day and we have been visited by the police who have advised us that they will keep in touch to update us about the ongoing nature of this potential threat.
“I am in close contact with the heads of both Withington Girls’ School and the Manchester Grammar School. Our priority is, always, the safety of our students and staff and there will be police, our own security presence and school staff on site to supervise pupils as they leave school.
“We would be grateful if you could keep your plans regarding the collection of your child as normal. If you do want to collect your child after school, we would be grateful if you could do so after 4.30pm when the majority of our pupils are off the school site and Grangethorpe Road will be less busy.”
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