Portsmouth parents react after bomb threat closes Mayfield School

Mayfield School in North End was closed following a threatening email which said an incendiary device had been planted onsite.

A statement on the school’s website said: ‘We need to inform you that Mayfield School will be closed on Monday, March 16 due to a threat against the school.’

The school was closed while police searched the premises.

Sam Ohemeng, 36, whose children Leo and Elijah attend the school, said he initially found out via social media.

Sam said: ‘I don’t think the communication has been great and hope it does turn out just to be a hoax. It’s annoying not being able to go to work but I’d rather my children weren’t in school if there’s any kind of danger.

‘If it’s a legitimate threat then it’s pretty scary.’

Sam, who lives on Mayfield Road, feels people living on the street should have been informed about the potential danger.

‘I would have liked a knock on the door to tell us what was going on,’ he said. ‘I did speak to one police officer who said if the threat was considered big enough then people would have been moved out of their homes.’

Fellow Mayfield Road resident, Allen Sutton, 83, added: ‘It’s very worrying that someone could threaten to do this on the street I live on. The threat was obviously taken serious enough for the school to be closed and residents should have been informed.’

Another parent who asked to remain anonymous said: ‘I think it’s probably a prank from a disgruntled child although the authorities must have been worried enough to close the school. If there were concerns over children’s safety they have done the right thing.’

Hampshire Constabulary confirmed a search of the premises found nothing suspicious but officers are still conducting enquiries.

A police statement said: ‘We can confirm we were notified on Friday March 13 of a bomb threat to Mayfield School in Portsmouth.‘Officers have conducted investigations over the weekend acting in line with our normal procedures, including a search of the school and nothing suspicious has been found.’

Headteacher David Jeapes said: ‘The safety of our pupils and staff is our number one priority and therefore we will not open until such time that police have advised us the threat against our school has been dealt with.’

While some parents have been left ‘annoyed and frustrated’ at the situation they understood the welfare of the children ‘must come first’.