Royal United Hospital Bath: Man arrested after 'threatening' incident

Police received concerns a man was carrying a possible bladed weapon

A man has been arrested on suspicion of threatening communications after a hospital and primary school were put into lockdown.

Avon and Somerset Police attended Royal United Hospital, in Bath, after a report of a man making verbal threats by phone.

A separate report of a man in the area carrying a potential bladed weapon has not been confirmed, police said.

The force said the man, in his 40s, is in police custody.

There were no reported injuries and both lockdowns have now been lifted, police said.

The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust has been approached for comment.

The hospital and a local primary school were put in lockdown

Avon and Somerset Police said two phone calls from a man who made verbal threats to hospital staff were made at 09:45 and 10:15 GMT.

Police already had a presence at the hospital due to an unconnected incident but sent more officers, including firearms specialists, once the second threatening phone call was made.

They then received reports of a man with an "item", which there were concerns could have been a bladed weapon, near the hospital at 10:35 GMT.

However, a weapon has not been confirmed, a police spokesperson said.

The force said it is still working to establish what the person was carrying that caused those reports.

A police spokesperson said: "The Royal United Hospital decided as a precaution to go into a lockdown.

"We advised a local primary school to also go into lockdown as a precaution too, but both have now been lifted.

"We'd like to reassure the public that there have been no reported injuries and a police presence remains in the area."