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Bomb scares at four West Midlands schools | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Thousands of pupils were evacuated as four schools in the West Midlands received bomb scare calls. | |
Students at Holly Lodge, Oldbury Academy and Bristnall Hall in Sandwell were evacuated and lessons at Leasowes High School in Halesowen were halted. | |
The schools received the threats between 09:00 GMT and 09:30, West Midlands Police said. | |
The force said all students were safe and an inquiry was under way to find out who was responsible for the calls. | |
Follow live updates on this story as they happen | Follow live updates on this story as they happen |
Sandwell Council leader Darren Cooper said: "We don't know at this stage where the tip came from." | |
Two Oldbury Academy pupils told BBC WM that pupils and teachers were "panicking" as the school was evacuated. | |
A 15-year-old student said: "A few people were running down the street, running away from the school." | A 15-year-old student said: "A few people were running down the street, running away from the school." |
Francesca Spratt, a sixth form student at Bristnall Hall Academy, said a senior member of staff entered her biology class room and asked students to collect their things and leave as quickly as possible. | Francesca Spratt, a sixth form student at Bristnall Hall Academy, said a senior member of staff entered her biology class room and asked students to collect their things and leave as quickly as possible. |
She said: "Nobody was told why we were being evacuated but all of the students left the school very calmly, there was no running or mass panic." | She said: "Nobody was told why we were being evacuated but all of the students left the school very calmly, there was no running or mass panic." |
A pupil at Bristnall Hall said a teacher was "shaking" as she told children to leave. | A pupil at Bristnall Hall said a teacher was "shaking" as she told children to leave. |
The affected schools | |
Councillor Ian Cooper, cabinet member for children's services at Dudley council, said the Leasowes High School alert "turned out to be a bomb hoax". | |
He said there was "no suggestion of any other threat to other schools in Dudley borough". | |
Mr Cooper said: "We can reassure parents that the situation was dealt with quickly and safely." | |
Lessons at the school have now resumed, Dudley Council said. | |
Pupils at the three Sandwell schools were sent home. | |
Sandwell Council said the Harry Mitchell Centre in Broomfield, Smethwick, had been opened as a rest centre for children who weren't able to get home. | Sandwell Council said the Harry Mitchell Centre in Broomfield, Smethwick, had been opened as a rest centre for children who weren't able to get home. |
Avon and Somerset Police said four bomb hoaxes at schools in the Bristol area were not believed to be linked to the West Midlands alerts. | Avon and Somerset Police said four bomb hoaxes at schools in the Bristol area were not believed to be linked to the West Midlands alerts. |