Schools in lockdown over 'threatening emails'
BBCTwo Gateshead schools have been in lockdown after receiving "threatening emails", police said.
Pupils were not being allowed to leave Cardinal Hume Catholic School and Glynwood Primary after emails were received overnight.
Both said all pupils were safe but parents were earlier asked not to come to the schools.
Northumbria Police said it had received a report of "malicious communications" and some schools had gone into voluntary lockdown as a "precautionary measure".
Cardinal Hume School said the site had been checked and secured and pupil safety remained its priority.
It added police had advised parents should not come to the school as increased numbers on site could add to any potential danger.
Glynwood Primary earlier said children were safe and happy and it was awaiting advice from the council and police.
Northumbria Police said it was told about a number of threats to primary and secondary schools just before 09:00 BST.
'No credible threat'
The force said officers had attended to carry out inquiries and offer reassurance.
"A decision has been made by some of the schools involved to go into a voluntary lockdown as a precautionary measure," a spokesperson said.
Gateshead Council said a number of schools took the "appropriate safeguarding action as per their procedures", after the threats.
In a statement it said: "Our colleagues in Northumbria Police have made subsequent inquiries and deemed this not to be a credible threat.
"To reassure you, there are no known concerns as a result of these malicious communications, and no schools need to be in lockdown."
The Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust said two of its schools were among those receiving a "threatening email".
"As a precautionary measure, the trust contacted all of the headteachers of the schools in that area to invoke safety procedures," it said.
"Subsequently, the police informed us that, following their inquiries, the threat was not deemed credible."