Students, parents and staff were locked down at Wells schools at lunchtime today (September 8) following a prank call to the police about a man carrying a sword.

Avon and Somerset Police were contacted at 11.46am today by a caller reporting seeing a man with a sword walking along Kennion Road in Wells.

Officers carried out a search of the area with no trace of such an individual.

Further investigation indicated that this was a prank call.

The caller has been identified and will be receiving strong words of advice from officers.

Both Wells Blue School and Wells Cathedral School were alerted and kept pupils, some parents who were attending with their children for pre-term Covid tests, and staff inside as a precaution until about 1pm.