Towerbank Primary School evacuated after '˜hoax' threat

DETECTIVES across the UK have launched a major probe after hoax bomb threats were made against more schools.
Towerbank Primary School. File picture: Gordon FraserTowerbank Primary School. File picture: Gordon Fraser
Towerbank Primary School. File picture: Gordon Fraser

One primary school in the Capital was forced to evacuate pupils yesterday morning, while another threatening call was made to a secondary in East Lothian.

It came just days after pupils had to flee a West Lothian primary and means police are now investigating a string of hoax bomb threats to schools across the Lothians over the last four months.

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Other schools across Scotland and cities in England have also been targeted and Police Scotland confirmed it was working with other forces across the UK.

Towerbank Primary School, in Portobello, became the latest to evacuate pupils yesterday morning.

In an e-mail to parents, headteacher Joyce Gilmour wrote: “The school received a telephone threat and, following the council’s normal procedures for these types of incidents, I took the decision to evacuate the school and contacted the police.

“The children evacuated the school using our normal fire drill procedures that are tested on a regular basis and we were able to return the school after approximately 30 minutes.

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“Following a search of the school, the police confirmed the threat was a hoax.”

A threatening call was also made yesterday to North Berwick High School.

In recent months, Tynecastle High, the Royal High, Boroughmuir High, Dunbar Grammar School and Bankton Primary School have also been targeted.

A police spokesman said: “Police Scotland is investigating a series of malicious hoax threats made to four schools across the east and west of Scotland yesterday.

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“There is no information to suggest these threats were terrorist related. Police Scotland is working with other forces to investigate who is responsible and whether the incidents are linked to others in the UK.

“We take hoaxes extremely seriously. They divert police resources and cause disruption and alarm to the public.”

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