Person arrested after email threat sent to several schools in West Yorkshire

UK

Emails “threatening violence to children and staff” have been received by a number of schools in Leeds.

West Yorkshire Police has launched an investigation – with officers “providing reassurance and safety advice to affected schools”.

In messages to parents, one primary headteacher said police had been treating the threat as “credible” – and children were being kept indoors for the whole day, with gates locked and windows and doors closed.

Earlier this week, a police investigation was launched after malicious emails were sent to a number of schools in the North West.

One parent told Sky News that she was “petrified” after she was told – and that it reminded her of incidents affecting schools in the US.

A school in Chester went into lockdown and prevented parents from picking up their children – but later said the “unpleasant email” it had received was “believed to be a malicious hoax”.

In its statement, West Yorkshire Police said: “Police are aware of an email which has been sent to a number of schools in West Yorkshire today.

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“This is being investigated by police and officers are providing reassurance and safety advice to affected schools.”

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