Police statement as staff and pupils return to school evacuated over email threat

'No threat' has been found at a school evacuated after it was sent a threatening message over email today, police have said.

All pupils and staff have now returned to Matthew Moss High School in the Marland area of Rochdale.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said officers carried out a full search of the school and its grounds, and said there was 'no threat to the school or wider area' found as a result. The alert was revealed by the school at around 12.50pm on Monday.

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In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, the school said: "Matthew Moss High School has received a threatening message by email and have evacuated the school as a precaution. All learners and staff are safe and the police are in attendance Please do not travel to the school at this time to allow police and staff to manage the situation."

It's understood police and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service were called in, with staff and pupils evacuated to nearby Springfield Park.

One parent said the park's tennis courts were used as an assembly area. They claimed a second threatening email was also recieved, but this hasn't been confirmed by GMP. The nature of the message hasn't been revealed and there are no further details.

Parents who managed to speak with their children posted on social media to say pupils 'seem to be OK' and were following the advice of teachers.

The school is on Matthew Moss Lane, off Bolton Road where Springfield Park is located. One parent told the Manchester Evening News the evacuation was announced by tannoy to the whole school.

They said: "All we know is that there was a tannoy announcement that went to