Boys arrested over Hounsdown School smoke bomb 'prank'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-33631345

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Two boys have been arrested after an alleged end-of-term smoke grenade prank saw an entire school evacuated.

Hundreds of pupils vacated Hounsdown School in Totton, Hampshire, at about 10:30 BST after the alarm was raised.

A "number of smoke grenades or similar objects had been set off on the school grounds", a Hampshire Police spokesman said.

Two boys, aged 16, have been held on suspicion of criminal damage. No one was injured in the incident.

Local councillor David Harrison said he had been told "about half a dozen" masked youths "entered the school, terrorist fashion" and set off the bombs as an end-of-term prank.

He added: "At one point this morning it seemed like the entire Hampshire Constabulary had descended on the area, with sirens from vehicles coming in from all directions.

"End of school pranks are something of a tradition but this particular action was badly ill-judged.

"It would have caused real alarm and might well have led to some serious consequences.

"We all have the capacity to cause mayhem with stupid, irresponsible behaviour. It isn't clever."

Hounsdown School, which teaches 1,251 pupils aged between 11 and 16, was unavailable for comment.