Man arrested after schools receive 'email threat'

White Hall Academy, alongside other schools in north Essex, received a threatening email

A man has been arrested after schools received threatening emails, forcing them into lockdown.

Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after being made aware of emails "implying a threat" to several schools, including in Essex and Hackney, north London.

The forces assessed the digital communications but did not believe they posed a credible threat to the schools that received them.

Staffordshire Police has now arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of sending communication of an indecent or offensive nature.

Clacton Coastal Academy, in Pathfields Road, Clacton, was put into a partial lockdown

The BBC understands some of the schools affected included White Hall Academy in Clacton, Clacton Coastal Academy, and Sir Martin Frobisher Academy, in nearby Jaywick.

In a message sent to parents by Clacton Coastal Academy, however, school bosses said, while they had been "made aware" of the threats, they had not received an email.

But, after consulting police, the "sensible precaution" to put a partial lockdown in place was taken.

Pupils were prevented from moving around parts of the site and extra staff members were deployed to entrance points.

"We were in close contact with parents, making them aware of the situation and updating them as soon as the police had confirmed the threat was not credible," a school spokesperson said.

Earlier reports circulating online had suggested a man had been spotted on the roof of one of the schools, but this turned out to be a caretaker checking tiles.

Police forces were first alerted to reports of threats being made to a number of schools in Hackney and Essex at about 08:30 GMT on Tuesday.

Met officers searched the school in Hackney that reported the threats, but nothing suspicious was found.

Essex officers were also deployed and offered "reassurance" at the schools affected throughout the day.

The Met said it was continuing to investigate and a spokesperson added: "Our priority is the safety of pupils and staff and, alongside other forces, we are working with the schools affected to offer reassurance."