School lockdown after man spotted with 'air rifle'

Armed officers and a drone were used to search for the man

A primary school was locked down after a man was seen pointing what appeared to be an air rifle into the sky nearby, police said.

The headteacher of Eskdale Academy, in Hartlepool, implemented the security measure at 08:55 GMT as children were arriving.

Armed response officers were sent but the man was no longer in the area.

Ch Insp Nick See said officers would be in the area on Tuesday morning and Cleveland Police would continue "working closely with the school".

He said: "We currently have a police presence in the area with officers carrying out reassurance patrols, as well as officers conducting CCTV inquiries to try to establish exactly where the man went.

"We are working closely with the school to ensure that the children are safe at all times and commend the teaching staff for their swift safety action following the incident."

The force is appealing for information.

The school was locked down as a precautionary measure