Schools in lockdown after 'firearm spotted' and emergency alert in UK town

A number of schools were placed in lockdown this afternoon after reports of 'man with a firearm' in a UK town.

Police confirmed they were called to Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan following reports of a suspicious male carrying a gun in the town centre at around 3.15pm. It is understood a number of local schoolswere placed into lockdown safety procedures, with pupils kept inside.

Byrchall High School, Cansfield, and St Oswald’s RC Primary, were among the schools subjected to the emergency measures. According to people in the area, local shops close to the scene were also closed temporarily this afternoon.

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A parent of a child attending one of the schools affected toldManchester Evening Newsthat "nobody could get near the school" with students "hiding inside" amid the large police response today.

A message was sent to parents and carers regarding children being put in lockdown at Byrchall High School, explaining that the telephone would not be answered and that all pupils still inside the school were safe and being supervised by staff.

It read: "Due to an ongoing incident in Ashton, we have been advised to go into lock down. All students that are still in school are safe and inside the building supervised by staff. Further information will follow in due course. Please note we unable to man phones at this time."

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "At around 3.15pm today we were called to reports of a suspected firearms sighting on Gerard Street, Ashton-in-Makerfield.

"No injuries have been reported. Armed officers were deployed to the area with a high visibility of neighbourhood patrols. Two men were stopped and searched with no firearms located."