Two yobs with an ‘air rifle’ spark ‘lock down’ of Catholic School: Police race to scene as pupils ‘hide under tables’
- St Peter and St Paul Catholic Voluntary Academy in Lincoln was put on lockdown
- Police descended on Catholic secondary amid reports of ‘youths with air rifle’
- School said all students and staff are ‘safe and well’ while police remain in area
A Roman Catholic secondary school in Lincoln was put on lockdown for an hour today amid reports of two yobs suspected of carrying an air rifle.
Armed officers descended on St Peter and St Paul’s Catholic Voluntary Academy at 9.30am near the school in Western Avenue and carried out a search.
No weapons have been located and no arrests have been made, Lincolnshire Police said. A heavy police presence remains in the area.
Frightened students tweeted that they had been hiding under tables for almost an hour and described a ‘guy outside church with an air rifle’.
Another posted: ‘I’m so scared even though it’s probably nothing.’ The school has confirmed all students and staff are ‘safe and well’.
Officers descended on St Peter and St Paul Catholic Voluntary Academy at 9.30am ‘due to suspicious activity outside of, but in the vicinity to, the school grounds’
In a statement, Lincolnshire Police said it received a report of two youths, ‘one of whom was thought to be carrying what may have been be an air rifle’, near St Peter and St Paul’s Catholic Academy.
Armed officers were deployed to the area and carried out a thorough search following the report just before 9.30am, a spokesperson said.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Davison said: ‘We understand this incident may have been very concerning for the pupils at the school, parents and local residents.
‘We do not believe there is any ongoing risk to the public. We take any reports of this nature extremely seriously and will always deploy specialist trained officers as a precautionary measure.
‘Local officers will be in the area throughout the day to offer reassurance to the public and they will be happy to speak with anyone who may have any concerns.
‘We would like to thank the public for their support with our inquiries.’
Students claimed a man was armed with an air rifle. Police have been contacted for comment
In a statement released on Facebook, acting headteacher Matthew Turton said: ‘Please be aware that the Police directed St Peter and St Paul Catholic Voluntary Academy to go into a lockdown at 9:30am this morning due to suspicious activity outside of, but in the vicinity to, the school grounds.
‘This lockdown lasted for one hour when, under Police direction, we were informed to come out of the lockdown at 10:30am.
‘There has been, and will continue to be, a Police presence in the area.
‘All students and staff in the school are safe and well; please be assured that the safety of everyone connected to the Academy is my paramount priority at all times. Education will now continue as normal for the rest of the day.’
The school declined to comment further when approached by MailOnline.
St Peter and St Paul Catholic Voluntary Academy, which was founded in 1959, is home to some 660 pupils and also has a sixth firm.
It is located to the south of Lincoln in the Boultham Moor area.