A secondary school in Liverpool was placed into a precautionary lockdown on Monday after receiving a threatening email, which police later confirmed was a malicious hoax.
Lockdown Protocol Activated
Parents and guardians of pupils at Holly Lodge Girls’ College in West Derby received text messages from the school at 2.55pm on Monday, January 19. The messages informed them that the school was being locked down while an on-site incident was investigated.
The texts stated: “Please be aware, the school has been placed in lockdown whilst we investigate an incident on site. This will mean that your daughter will be kept in school after the school day until we are sure students are safe to leave.”
Following police advice, students remained in their classrooms with their teachers until the all-clear was given.
Police Investigation Confirms Hoax
Merseyside Police attended the scene after a report was made at around 2.30pm. Officers quickly established that the emailed threat was not credible. A spokesperson confirmed the report was for malicious communications.
By 3.25pm, a second text was sent to parents confirming it was safe for students to leave and for collection to proceed as normal.
In a letter sent to parents on Monday evening, headteacher Andy Keen explained the school's actions. "The threat was a hoax, but I am sure you appreciate that we cannot and will not do anything that will jeopardise our students' safety," he wrote.
School Returns to Normal After Disruption
Mr Keen praised the conduct of both students and staff during the unsettling event, stating they acted "calm and sensible throughout." He confirmed that the school's leadership team followed its critical incident plan and all police advice.
The headteacher also revealed that this was not an isolated incident, noting that other schools in Liverpool have received similar threats in recent weeks. He sought to reassure parents about the school's robust security measures, including visitor access control.
The school reopened as normal on Tuesday, January 20. Staff were prepared to speak to any students who felt anxious following the previous day's events.
Merseyside Police are continuing their enquiries into the source of the malicious communication and have asked anyone with information to contact them quoting log number 528 of January 19.
