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Regional | Emergency Services

Parents angry following threat at Western Heights high school

Western Heights High school in Rotorua went into lockdown today after a threat was made to the school. The lockdown is now over but the incident has left some parents angry and confused.

Parents react after Western Heights went into lockdown.

“If there’s gonna be a bomb scare or if there was a bomb, what if it went off and all the kids are on the field, it could be on the field. If it was in the class why don’t they let them out the gates and let us take them home. It was really frightening,” says Pauline Savages, one of the Western Height’s parents.

The school went into lockdown after a threat was made to the school. These parents are concerned for the safety of their children.

“My daughter goes to this school and my concerned is if something happens, well why haven't they let them out the gate,” says Savage.

Police today responded to calls of a concerning nature directed to 27 schools throughout the country. They say the safety of students, teachers and schools is their priority.

“Soon as they opened the gates and it was all clear. I went in straight away I rang my daughter and said meet me at the gates now, I’m taking you home. When the cops said they can go home soon I said nah they're going home now,” says Savage.

Pauline says she will be keeping her daughter at home tomorrow.

Police say they understand the fear and concern that these incidents will cause. However, they reiterate that so far they have not established any actual threat to any school.