Police condemn hoaxers behind bomb scares at Black Country schools

Police were sent to Holly Lodge, Bristnall Hall and Oldbury Academy schools in the West Midlands today after calls were made shortly after 9am this morning saying bombs were on the premises.

Councillor Ian Cooper, cabinet member for children’s services at Dudley Council, said: “Leasowes High School in Halesowen was evacuated this morning after receiving a call which turned out to be a bomb hoax”.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said tonight: “A police investigation was immediately launched to find the person responsible”. A number of schools in Bristol were also closed as a result of bomb hoax calls, but it was not clear if they were linked. “At no time did police advise the schools affected or others to close or to change their usual timetable”.

“They did not know what was going on, they had no information off the teachers”, he said.

Police are in the area and dealing with the situation, Metro reported.

Another 15-year-old pupil at the same school added: “It all happened really fast and it was pretty scary because we wasn’t told exactly what was happening”.

Steve, a parent from Oldbury, whose son and daughter attend Oldbury academy, told BBC WM the children were told by their teachers to evacuate.

There is no suggestion of any other threat to other schools in either borough.

‘Sandwell Council is working with West Midlands Police.

“No one knows if it was a real threat or just a prank”.

Volunteers are said to be helping the children reach the Harry Mitchell Centre, in Smethwick.

Several other colleges which did not receive any threats are also believed to have taken extra precautions.