Manchester school in lockdown as police respond to 'gunman warning'
MANCHESTER Police have put a local school into lockdown following a warning a gunman was present.
Manchester: Armed police respond to reports of gunman at school
A secondary school in Wythenshawe was put into lockdown following reports of a gunman. Police were called to Moor Road at 9.10am following reports of a man with a gun. Police later revealed the report of a man with a gun outside Manchester Health Academy had been false.
Witnesses had described seeing a man with a gun outside the school.
An investigation has now been launched to find out who the caller of the incident had been.
Despite the call being a hoax, police will now remain in the immediate area on patrol.
Before the incident was found to be false, a message from the academy informed parents the school had been put into a partial lockdown.
The academy said: "Police are currently checking an incident outside of the school.
"As a result the school has gone into a partial lockdown.
"Please do not be concerned.
"The police have requested you do not approach the school in order they can monitor the situation."
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One parent told the Manchester Evening News they had told their daughter to get ready to hide.
The parent also received a text from their son telling saying a helicopter was flying over the school.
The parent said: "My son texted me to say the helicopter was over the school.
"I texted my daughter in school and she said they were not really telling them anything except that one of her friends had said there is a man with a gun.
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"I was a bit worried so I decided to come down.
"Obviously I wanted to check my daughter, how she was.
"She was very scared at first.
"I didn't know if it was a terrorist attack or what.
"I told her to get ready to hide."
Reporter for the paper, John Scheerhout said up to 60 parents were waiting outside the school entrance.
Parents had been told to stay away but turned up out of concern for their children.