Bourne

Bourne Grammar School has confirmed that it was a bomb threat phone call that caused staff and pupils to be evacuated on Tuesday morning.

A suspicious phone call was received on the morning of October 20 during which an electronic voice stated that a bomb had been planted at the school.

Emergency services, including police and a dog unit, attended the school on South Road and people were evacuated at around 10.45am and all were safe, while the public were advised to avoid the area.

The site was searched again by police in the evening and the school was told by the force that the credibility of the threat is “exceptionally low”.

Headteacher Jonathan Maddox wrote a letter to parents as soon as he was allowed back into the building and the school was closed for the remainder of the day. It reopened as normal on Wednesday, October 21.

In a further letter he confirmed more details about the “day’s dramatic events”.

He said: “On Tuesday morning a telephone call was received at the school’s reception in which an electronic voice – not the voice of a real person – stated that a bomb had been planted at our school.

“The entire school was immediately evacuated and the police called. Very soon we had a number of police and other emergency services on site.

“I regret the fact that it was necessary to require all students to remain outside but, of course, I was bound to follow the advice that I received continuously throughout the day.

“This evening I expect that many will be hungry, perhaps cold and some could be anxious. I have been assured that the credibility of the threat – the source of which has apparently been traced by the police – is exceptionally low.

“Nevertheless police dogs will search the site thoroughly this evening.”

Mr Maddox praised the students and staff, adding: “I very much wish to commend all students for their outstanding behaviour throughout their extraordinary experience.

“They conducted themselves sensibly, following the instructions given and were a credit to themselves.”

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said on Wednesday: “Investigations are still ongoing after the school received a suspicious call. No arrests have been made.”

All pupils and staff at Bourne Grammar School have been evacuated on Tuesday after a suspicious phone call was reported to police.

Lincolnshire Police said at around 1.30pm on October 20 that it was in attendance at the school on South Road after pupils were evacuated at around 10.45am.

People are being advised to avoid the area while the incident is being dealt with.

Police said: “Emergency services are in attendance, and as a precautionary measure all pupils and staff at the school have been safely evacuated.

“Members of the public should avoid the area while emergency services attend. We are continuing to liaise with the school.”

Officers have since confirmed that as of 2.30pm other emergency services have left the scene and police remain on site to help with traffic.

An email sent out by the school’s headteacher Jonathan Maddox confirmed that everyone is safe but school will be closing for the rest of the day.

A Lincolnshire woman who adopted a dog from a Greek dog rescue has raised over £7,000 for the shelter after it was destroyed by a hurricane.

Helen Sharpe, 34, lives in Bourne with her partner Ian Croome, 40, and daughter Isla, 10, and they adopted a dog called Huxley from a shelter in Zante, Greece last year.

Huxley had been abandoned in an oil grove with his two siblings by his previous owner before being taken in by Zante Strays, a local dog shelter on the Greek island.

In a bizarre turn of events, Helen met the volunteers at the shelter at a service station in Leicester and gave Huxley a forever home.

On September 17, disaster struck Zante Strays as it was affected by a serious hurricane.

The roof had been ripped off by the storm, leaving the animals exposed to the weather, as well as a lot of kennels being damaged.

Upon hearing the news, Helen took it upon herself to try and raise money for the shelter that gave her Huxley, a dog described as daughter Isla’s “best friend”.

She has so far raised £7,716 at the time of reporting, in just over three weeks, thanks to over 300 donors.

Helen said: “The love they have for all the dogs is so clear. These are volunteers who give up their time to ensure the abandoned dogs have a safe place.

“Zante Strays put the dogs before everything. That’s why this hurricane is devastating. They have worked tirelessly on building the shelter and now for it to be torn apart like this, it’s just beyond sad.”

You can donate to the fundraiser here.