School in lockdown over 'threatening message' with 'pupils hiding under desks'

26 April 2024 , 11:16

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Parents have gathered at the school

Children at a school in Wales have been told to hide under their desks as the school is put into partial lockdown.

Parents of youngsters at Ebbw Fawr in Ebbw Vale have been sent text messages from the school and some concerned mums and dads have made their way to the school gates. The school has confirmed the police are on site.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman told the Mirror: "We received a call to report that the secondary campus to Ebbw Fawr Learning Community had been placed in partial lockdown at around 10.20am on Friday 26 April after a teenage pupil had allegedly received threatening messages.

"Our officers are in attendance. We have arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of making threats. The arrest did not take place on school premises and was not in the Ebbw Vale area. Our enquiries are ongoing."

Concerned parents have arrived at the school

The first text message from the school to parents read: "Dear parents/carers - the school is in a partial lockdown. During this period the telephones and entrances will be unmanned, external doors locked and nobody allowed in or out."

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A second message went on: ""Dear parents/carers - There is no risk inside the building. Police have arrived. All students are safe in classrooms and all doors and access points to the school are locked. Thank you for your understanding."

A teacher inside the school has said he had been told to stay in his classroom but had been given no further information. Emailing from his classroom he said he did not know the reason for the lockdown. Asked for the reason he emailed: "Your guess is as good as mine. We are still in our classrooms waiting for more news."

He added: "The teaching staff are doing a fantastic job keeping the pupils calm."

An updated statement from Superintendent Matthew Williams, who was in charge of the policing operation, has thanked the school and parents. He said: "This morning, we received a report that the secondary campus at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community had been placed in partial lockdown at around 10.20am after a teenage pupil had reportedly received threatening messages.

"Our officers swiftly attended the site and are working with the school to ensure the safety of its learners and reassure parents. We have arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of making threats. This arrest didn't take place on school premises and was not made in the Ebbw Vale area.

"We carried out a search during the arrest, and no offensive weapons were found. He remains in police custody at this time as our enquiries continue. We understand the level of concern from parents in the area today, but I'd like to thank the public and the school for following protocol, remaining calm and relaying any concerns they had to us.

"These actions allowed us to act quickly, make an arrest, safeguard pupils and reassure the community. The school is now no longer in lockdown and parents and guardians are collecting their children."

Kelly-Ann Mills