Pupils ‘not in danger’ from smoke bomb thrown at school

Brundall Primary School. Picture: Marc Betts (Image: Archant)

In a message sent yesterday afternoon Rick Stuart Sheppard, head of Brundall Primary School, said he wanted to 'reassure parents that no children were harmed or in danger'.

Police were called to the school on Braydeston Avenue at 10.37am after a smoke bomb was thrown over a hedge and into the playing area.

Parents later received an email from Mr Stuart-Sheppard explaining what had happened and that the matter was 'being dealt with appropriately'.

In the letter he said: 'This morning a smoke canister was thrown over the hedge near the bike sheds. All pupils were inside the school at this time and all are safe.

'The canister was removed by our caretaker and passed over to the police.

'We have helped police with a line of enquiry and understand that the matter is in hand,'

A police spokesman said that a suspect was identified and questioned before being released with a caution.

Fire services were made aware of the incident but not called to the scene.

Mr Stuart-Sheppard ended the letter by asking parents to 'reassure' their children and said the school did not expect any further incidents.

One parent, who did not want to be named, spoke of her concerns.

She said: 'I'm scared, especially with everything else that is going on in the world. Whether it is teenagers or something else you can never know.

'If it was first thing this morning why did I not get an email until 3.20pm? I think the school should have told us straight away - what if it was something more serious?

'Children could have gone up to it and started playing with it. My son asked if he would've died if he was outside.

'With the young ones just starting in September, some of them have only turned four years old. It must be scary for parents.'

Brundall Primary School takes in students from the ages of four to 11 and has 251 pupils on roll.

Police are continuing to investigate.