Edinburgh schools evacuated after latest 'hoax' bomb threat
Pupils are starting to return to classes after police confirm there is “no imminent risk”
Edinburgh schools have been evacuated this morning after another ‘hoax’ bomb threat was sent to schools across the country.
Pupils at schools across the city were forced to leave classrooms shortly before 10am on Wednesday, November 11 with students at some schools sent home.
Police Scotland said the messages, which were sent out to schools across Scotland and the rest of the UK, were “immediately assessed and are being treated as hoaxes”.
Pupils have since been allowed to return to class after Police Scotland announced that the emails “do not represent a credible threat”.
A spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council said: “The safety of children and young people, and all who work in our schools, is our top priority and we will always act in line with our safety protocols and procedures, as we did today.
“We understand the impact this can have on families and want to reassure parents and carers that our schools are safe and there is no need to remove your child.”
West Lothian Council, where schools were also evacuated, said police have assured them that there is “no imminent risk” and that schools can “continue with their days as planned”.
A Police Scotland spokesperson added: “Our enquiries have established that there is nothing to suggest that they represent a credible threat or that there is any wider threat to the public.
“We understand how distressing messages of this nature can be for pupils, parents, carers and school staff, and the concern they can understandably cause.
“Our advice is that there is no requirement to evacuate schools or keep children away from education based solely on the content of the emails. They have been sent widely to distribution lists across the UK and Northern Ireland and our assessment remains that they do not represent a credible threat.
“Police Scotland’s Cyber and Fraud Unit is carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the source of the messages, and officers continue to liaise with law enforcement partners across the UK and internationally.”
It comes weeks after a hoax bomb threat was sent to schools during an in-service day on October 19 and has sparked concerns among parents.
Evening News reader Pauline Halligan said: “It may be a hoax but the children are worried.”
Other readers questioned why they had to first learn the news through social media and phone calls from their children rather than being contacted by the school.
However, another parent, Jo Lambert, said: “I appreciate people being worried sick but the schools first priority is to get all staff and children out safely before notifying parents.
“We were informed by our school an hour later, by which point they had the school kids back in and had a chance to sit at their desks to communicate with parents.”
The council said they are working closely with Police Scotland and will keep schools updated “as further information becomes available”.
This is a breaking story. More to follow.