Two men, both aged 18, have been arrested after two schools and a nursery were placed into lockdown on Tuesday afternoon, following reports of an armed individual in the vicinity.
Officers were called to Bell Farm Way in Hersham in Surrey at 3pm after reports emerged of a person carrying a weapon at the location. Given the nature of the reports, armed officers were deployed alongside other emergency responders, and road closures were put in place along Bell Farm Way.
Police arrived at the scene within eight minutes of the 999 call, and both men were detained and arrested for possession of an offensive weapon. They remain in police custody at this time.
Schools' response
Three Rivers Academy initiated a temporary lockdown as a precautionary measure to protect staff and pupils while officers conducted their initial enquiries. The lockdown has since been lifted and students have been permitted to return home.
Police said Three Rivers Primary School and Toad Hall Nursery also placed themselves into lockdown following communication with Three Rivers Academy. Both sites have since stood down and staff and children have been able to leave.
Police statement
Elmbridge Borough Commander Inspector Chris Thoday said: "We take any report of this nature extremely seriously and had officers at the scene within minutes."
"The school and other education facilities nearby also quickly instigated their well-prepared safeguarding plans to ensure the safety of pupils and staff."
"We fully understand how concerning incidents like this are for our community and our investigation into the circumstances continues."
"Anyone with information which could assist us is asked to contact police if they have not already been spoken to."
