Donington’s Cowley Academy forced to temporarily lockdown as police attend ‘attempted intruder’ alert

A secondary school was forced to temporarily lockdown following an alert over a ‘verbally aggressive’ man.

Police were called out to Donington’s Cowley Academy just before lunch time today (Tuesday, February 11) due to an incident with an attempted intruder.

Pupils were thanked for their conduct as the school initiated its lockdown procedure as a ‘precautionary measure’.

The man did not enter the school site and the lockdown was lifted after about 45 minutes.

Mrs Conley, Chief Executive Officer at South Lincolnshire Academies Trust said: “As parents may be aware, we have lockdown procedures at the school. This procedure was activated today just before midday during period three due to an attempted intruder on the school site.

“The lockdown procedure was activated as a precautionary measure before the police attended the incident. This was isolated with the lockdown lifted at 12.15pm.

“We would like to thank the students for following this procedure as they were exceptional in how they conducted themselves. The school will be holding an assembly with students to thank them for their professional conduct."

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “We received a report that a man had attended the school reception area and was being verbally aggressive at 11.32am.

“The school made a decision to lock down following internal procedures while they liaised with officers. The man did not enter the main building at any point.

“Our Force Control Room was in regular contact with the school, and officers were deployed to the area, and the man had left.

“A local area where the search was carried out and he was not located. Staff have been advised to contact police again if he returns. “