Pupils at Co-op Academy Walkden in Salford were kept inside at lunchtime on Wednesday as a precautionary measure following reports of an individual with a knife in the local area. Parents were notified shortly before 1pm and told that police had been alerted and were dealing with the situation. Greater Manchester Police confirmed they responded within 10 minutes, but initial enquiries found no confirmation that a knife was actually seen.
Incident Details
The incident comes just a day after a stabbing at Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley, where two pupils and a member of staff were injured. In that incident, a male staff member was stabbed in the neck, a 14-year-old girl suffered knife injuries to her shoulder, and a 14-year-old boy sustained injuries to his ear. A 14-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault and remains in police custody.
In a message to parents at Co-op Academy Walkden, the school stated: "We have been alerted to an unknown individual in the local area who reportedly has a knife. Police have been alerted and are dealing with this. In the meantime there is no known threat to our Academy. As a precautionary measure all pupils are being kept indoors during lunch. We will update you as soon as we know more information from the police." Parents were asked not to contact their children directly.
Police Response
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "We were called at around 12.20pm today following reports of an individual seen near a school with a knife. Officers attended promptly and were on scene within 10 minutes. Following initial enquiries, there is currently no confirmation that a knife was seen. The informant has since stated they did not see a weapon themselves but instead heard it through friends. Officers continue to carry out enquiries to establish the full circumstances."
The Co-op Academies Trust also provided further details about Tuesday's incident at the Plant Hill Road school, noting that staff acted bravely to detain the pupil before emergency services arrived. The trust stated that the academy follows Department for Education guidance on screening and searches but had no reason to conduct a search on any student that morning. Parents expressed shock at the events.
