School lockdowns live – Primaries in Manchester and Cheshire on alert after email threats to pupils and staff
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.”
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Key Points
Schools on lockdown after email threats to pupils and staff
Lache Primary School releases students in ‘staggered, controlled’ way as email believed to be ‘malicious hoax'
Not clear how many other schools have received threats
High school in Chester confirms it is not currently in lockdown
Both Cheshire and Greater Manchester Police investigating
Mapped: Which schools have been impacted?
Schools on lockdown after email threats to pupils and staff
15:17 , Sam Rkaina
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”.
In a statement, the school said: “We are aware that parents have arrived outside school.
“To repeat, we cannot let any children out or any parents in. As we have stated this is a precautionary measure following an unpleasant email that has been sent to a number of schools in Cheshire, Liverpool and Manchester.
“There is not a threat on site. We have locked down the school to ensure that everyone is safe. Which they are.
“The police are dealing with the situation and are very happy with the measures that we have in place.”
Both Cheshire and Greater Manchester Police investigating
15:21 , Eleanor Noyce
Both Cheshire Police 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.”
High school in Chester confirms it is not currently in lockdown
15:24 , Eleanor Noyce
Blacon High School, also in Chester, confirmed on its Facebook page that it is not currently in lockdown.
In a statement, it added: “However, we have taken precautions and put in place some additional measures to ensure that all students and staff remain safe in school. I will update you with any further information as it becomes available.”
Police were notified of the email on Tuesday morning. The content of the communication made threats to pupils and staff, Cheshire Constabulary added.
Not clear how many other schools have received threats
15:25 , Eleanor Noyce
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.”
Lache Primary School releases students in ‘staggered, controlled’ way as email believed to be ‘malicious hoax'
15:28 , Eleanor Noyce
Lache Primary School has started to release students in a “staggered” and “controlled way.”
“Working in conjunction with the police, they would like to reassure parents that this is believed to be a malicious hoax.
“Therefore, we are happy to release the children but this will need to be in a staggered and controlled way for everyone’s safety”, Lache Primary School confirmed in a Facebook update.
Manchester High School for Girls, Manchester Grammar and Withington Girls School also in lockdown
15:31 , Eleanor Noyce
Manchester High School for Girls, Manchester Grammar and Withington Girls School are also in lockdown.
“We do not know if this threat is credible but I am treating it as such until I receive information from police to the contrary”, an email sent to parents at Manchester High School for Girls 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 police who have advised us they will keep in touch to update us about the ongoing nature of this potential threat.”
Mapped: Which schools have been impacted?
15:40 , Eleanor Noyce
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.
Children able to be collected after 4.30pm, Manchester High School for Girls headmistress confirms
15:45 , Eleanor Noyce
In an email to parents and guardians of students at Manchester High School for Girls, headmistress Helen Joys has confirmed that children may be collected after 4.30pm.
“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.”
School in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire confirms it has not received any malicious messages
15:48 , Eleanor Noyce
A school in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire has confirmed to parents and guardians that it has not received any malicious messages.
“We would like to put your minds at ease, to inform you that we have NOT received any malicious texts or emails here at Sutton Green”, a Facebook post from Sutton Green Primary School read.
“We are aware as you are from local reports, that there is a school affected in Chester but at present we have no further information.”
Blacon High School confirms it is not currently in lockdown
15:51 , Eleanor Noyce
Blacon High School, also in Chester, confirmed on its Facebook page that it is not currently in lockdown.
In a statement, it added: “However, we have taken precautions and put in place some additional measures to ensure that all students and staff remain safe in school. I will update you with any further information as it becomes available.”
News comes just one day after number of schools in Hull also placed in lockdown
15:56 , Eleanor Noyce
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
16:03 , Eleanor Noyce
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
16:11 , Eleanor Noyce
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’
16:25 , Eleanor Noyce
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’
Parents heard about threats to school through a ‘parent WhatsApp group’
16:40 , Eleanor Noyce
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'
17:05 , Eleanor Noyce
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
17:33 , Eleanor Noyce
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’
18:05 , Eleanor Noyce
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’
ICYMI: Which schools have been impacted?
18:35 , Eleanor Noyce
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
19:05 , Eleanor Noyce
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.”
Parents at Manchester Grammar heard ‘rumours’ about why police were called
19:35 , Eleanor Noyce
Parents and guardians of students at Manchester Grammar School, locked down on Tuesday afternoon amidst threatening emails sent to pupils and teachers, heard “rumours” about why the police were called.
They weren’t told about why officers were called to the school and had no idea of the “nature” of the incident, Manchester Evening News reports.
Police ‘only arrived’ at primary school after parents ‘turned up’, aunt of pupil says
20:01 , Eleanor Noyce
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.”
School in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire confirms it has not received any malicious messages
20:35 , Eleanor Noyce
A school in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire has confirmed to parents and guardians that it has not received any malicious messages.
“We would like to put your minds at ease, to inform you that we have NOT received any malicious texts or emails here at Sutton Green”, a Facebook post from Sutton Green Primary School read.
“We are aware as you are from local reports, that there is a school affected in Chester but at present we have no further information.”
News comes just one day after number of schools in Hull also placed in lockdown
21:04 , Eleanor Noyce
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.
21:55 , Sam Rkaina
We’re closing our live coverage for the evening but keep checking independent.co.uk for the latest updates.
