Teenager arrested after '˜malicious' email is sent to Hampshire schools

An 18-year-old man from Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, was arrested last night on suspicion of making communications related to threatening emails sent to schools and colleges across the country.

Police confirmed schools in Hampshire received the correspondence on Wednesday morning – which they treated as ‘malicious’ – but did not say which ones.

Officers also linked the incident to a hoax bomb threat which closed hundreds of UK schools last week.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the National Crime Agency said: ‘We understand these threats have caused considerable concern but we do not assess there to be an increased risk to the public.

‘We believe this incident is linked to the hoax bomb threat that closed hundreds of UK schools last week.’

The arrest comes a day after Hampshire police advised schools not to evacuate because of the email they received.