A PRIMARY school went into lockdown this afternoon after reports of a suspicious man around the premises.
On Thursday, April 20, it was reported that a man was "causing concern" in the vicinity of Tyldesley Primary School, on Ennerdale Road, Tyldesley.
Residents reported that a "masked man" was in the area and police were said to be quickly on the scene to search for the individual, with a police helicopter reported to be involved in the search.
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Following the reports of the suspicious man, the primary school went into a lockdown that locked all children and staff inside the buildings for their safety.
The school confirmed that this was done purely as a "precautionary measure" and there was no suggestion that the man was intending to be close to the school.
All children were reported to be safe and accounted for during the lockdown, and carried on with "very little awareness" of what had happened.
A spokesperson for Tyldesley Primary School said: "While there was no suggestion that this person had any reason to come to Tyldesley Primary, the school went into a lockdown procedure as a precautionary measure as this person was last seen on a street close to us.
"This is a procedure that all schools practice, in a similar way to a fire drill, and something we have done regularly in the past. Our pupils and staff should be praised for following the procedure perfectly.
"The vast majority of pupils continued their day with very little awareness of what had happened.
"In fact, apart from having their lunch in their classrooms and there were no outdoor playtime, they would have noticed little difference from their typical day.
"[There was also] some police near to the school at the end of the school just to offer some additional reassurance.
"We would like to thank the police for their support and the calm way in which they engaged with the school.
"We have been monitoring our children closely all afternoon, and all seem calm."
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