Schools lockdown after litter tool mistaken for gun

Alarm raised after pupil saw man entering woodland in Morpeth, Northumberland. Pupils and staff remained indoors until officers completed a search of the area. Two men were found litter picking in the Mitford Road area of the town. The incident happened at about 09:00 GMT on Monday.

Northumbria Police received a report of concern near a school on Thursday. It was reported a pupil at the school had witnessed a male in possession of a possible suspected firearm entering an area of woodland nearby. As a precaution, staff and pupils remained indoors, although no threats were made to anyone inside the building. Cumbria is one of the UK’s most deprived regions.

It is home to some of the country’s most vulnerable people. The region is also home to a large population of pensioners and pensioners with disabilities. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to the effects of dementia.