CHAOS affected schools across Scotland yesterday as an epidemic of bomb hoax calls to school premises spread north of the Border and to Northern Ireland.
What appeared at first to be an attempt to disrupt English schools where pupils were taking GCSE exams started early on Monday and then spread to schools where no exams were taking place.
Yesterday, the menace hit Scotland, affecting some 13 primary and secondary schools.
The hoax calls, made by an automated system, appear to be a part of a global phenomenon. Schools in France, Australia and New Zealand were also recently affected, and some in Glasgow and Edinburgh were targeted in January amid claims the hoaxes were being perpetrated by Russian computer hackers.
Police and fire and rescue teams rushed to numerous schools after the latest hoax calls began to be received early yesterday morning.
Schools as far apart as Perth and Dumfries were targeted. Some head teachers and education departments decided to evacuate the affected schools, while pupils at others stayed put. One of the first to receive a hoax call was Canberra Primary in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire. It was cordoned off and pupils moved to nearby Mossneuk School. Also in South Lanarkshire, children from Carluke Primary were evacuated to Highmill Primary.
One parent said on social media: “When you hear something like that it’s always a worry, especially when there are kids involved. No alarm went off at the school. It was just a case of getting everyone out.”
Another of the schools to receive a threatening call was Dumfries High which has a roll of around 1,000 pupils. They were not evacuated.
A joint statement from Dumfries and Galloway education services and Police Scotland said: “This morning a number of schools in the central belt and south of Scotland received threats by automated telephone. Dumfries High School was one of these schools.
“The school has robust procedures in place to assess risk. Police Scotland was informed immediately and attended the school.
“Police Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council’s education service have been aware of such threats as an emerging issue across the UK in recent weeks.
“There is nothing to indicate this was a substantive threat and it was, therefore, important not to unnecessarily disrupt pupils’ learning and teaching.
“Obviously, this matter will involve a significant investigation by Police Scotland.”
Dunbar Grammar School in East Lothian was “locked down” but not evacuated, while Perth High School also did not evacuate.
A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council said: “Dunbar Grammar School was one of a number of UK schools which received a telephone threat.
“The school followed safety procedures and the building went into lockdown as a precaution, and was then reopened following a thorough search.”
Bankton Primary School in Livingston was evacuated, as was Dunrobin Primary in Airdrie,
North Lanarkshire, though pupils were back at their desks by mid-morning.
Schools were hoaxed in Northern Ireland, where police said: “We will liaise with other UK police services who have received similar calls, to investigate who is responsible and whether these incidents are linked.”
A statement from Police Scotland on the situation nationally was issued yesterday afternoon.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said: “Police Scotland, along with other forces across the UK, is investigating a series of malicious hoax threats made to 13 primary and secondary schools across the country today.
“There is no information to suggest these threats were terrorist related. Police Scotland is working with other UK forces to investigate who is responsible and whether the incidents are linked.”
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