Two schools in Rochdale were evacuated today after a bomb scare - with schools across the country also hit by a wave of threats.

Police were called to Oulder Hill High School and neighbouring Redwood Secondary School on Monday morning after a call was made to Redwood.

The caller said an item had been placed within the school grounds.

More than 1,000 pupils, teachers and staff from both schools were evacuated as a result for more than an hour. The schools share a site off Greave Avenue in the Spotland area of the town.

Emergency services were called out to at least nine other schools across the country as Year 11 pupils sit GCSE exams.

Canterbury Academy in Kent received a phone call warning of a bomb on the site and that ‘the shrapnel will take children’s heads off’.

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All pupils were evacuated, including 240 who were sitting a GCSE English exam.

Other schools, both primary and secondary, also received bomb threat calls, including schools in Maidstone, Peterborough, Bedfordshire and Surrey.

Rochdale council said pupils at both Redwood and Oulder Hill returned to classes after thorough sweeps and searches by police and senior staff. Nothing was found.

A council spokesman said Redwood Secondary School received a phone call saying ‘an item had been placed’ within the school grounds, which back on to Rochdale Golf Club.

The Gracie Fields Theatre and leisure facilities including a swimming pool also part of the complex.

Stuart Pidgeon, headteacher at Redwood School, said: “A phone call was placed to Redwood school this morning that led staff to believe a suspicious device had been placed within the grounds.

"Following a full evacuation of pupils and staff at Redwood and Oulder Hill schools, police and senior staff determined that there was no device and pupils have now returned to class. The circumstances behind the phone call will be investigated by Greater Manchester Police as they deem appropriate.”

It’s understood that searches were carried out by police on the rooftops and around other areas of both schools. The force confirmed officers were called to Redwood Secondary School shortly after 11.30am.

According to recent Ofsted inspection reports, there are more than 1,160 pupils on the roll at Older Hill, with more than 200 at Redwood, which caters for pupils who are supported by a statement of special educational needs.

On Facebook, Redwood said: “Students took part in a whole school emergency evacuation at 11.30am today on information received. Police were called to investigate and after a thorough search of the building and on their advice students and staff re-entered the building at 12.50pm.”