Lee Harpin
Jewish school's were put on emergency alert this morning after hoax telephone calls claimed bombs had been planted on site.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were alerted at 10.30am to phone calls made to schools in Roehampton, Ilford and Brent in London in which bomb threats were made.
Officers conducted a thorough search of the premises at all three schools - and others were place on emergency lock down while the searches were concluded.
The hoax calls, which were also made to a small number of non-Jewish schools, are believed to have falsely suggested an explosive deviice had been planted on site.
After learning that at least two of the threats affected Jewish schools, the Community Security Trust took the decision, following consultation with the police, to alert all Jewish schools across the UK about the threats.
But at no stage was a decision taken to evacuate any school.
At one Jewish primary children were told to adopt the 'sleeping lions' position used during an emergency situation.
Other schools were placed under temporary lock down.
In a statement the CST confirmed: “A small number of Jewish schools across the country received bomb threats, as did a small number of non-Jewish schools.
"The Jewish schools followed security procedures, and CST and Police immediately responded. All of the sites have been searched, and declared safe and secure. CST thanks school staff, pupils and parents for their calm response to these calls.”
Schools were set to email parents later today to reassure them following the incident.
In February 2016 there were similar hoax bomb threats made to Jewish schools across London.
At the time police said the calls were part of a "wider problem" that had been going on for several weeks.
In a statement yesterday the Metroplolitan Police said: "Police were alerted at around 10:30am hrs on Monday, 9 January, to phone calls made to schools in Roehampton, Ilford and Brent in which bomb threats were made.
"Police officers attended the schools. All three incidents were stood down a short time later. An investigation into the threat will be conducted."