Man arrested after Preston school incident detained under Mental Health Act
The incident sparked a school lockdown...
A man who was arrested earlier this week after an incident at a Preston primary school has been detained under the Mental Health Act.
Lea Community Primary School went into lockdown on Tuesday after reports of a man behaving erratically on school grounds at around 9am.
Lancashire Police were alerted and officers rushed to the scene in Greavestown Lane, off Blackpool Road.
Shortly afterwards, a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of public order and causing a public nuisance. The force said “no access was gained to the school”.
The man was taken into custody and has since been detained under the Mental Health Act.
Parents and carers were informed of the incident and the school said all children were “happy and safe”, but urged those in the local community to “remain vigilant”.
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‘Please remain vigilant’
In a statement, the school thanked parents who acted swiftly and reported their concerns about the man’s behaviour.
It said: “Thank you to those parents who vigilantly reported to school a trespasser on school grounds this morning.
“We immediately followed our lock down procedures and the advice from the police.
“The police swiftly attended and a male was arrested within the local area. The children are unaware of the incident and are all happy and safe.
“The police have been extremely supportive of school and have advised, as a precautionary measure, that there will be some police and PCSO presence around school for the rest of the week. Please be reassured that this is just a precaution.
“While there will be a presence around school, the police are asking that parents and the local community remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity straight to the school during school hours, and outside of the school day directly to the police via 999.”