Police visit school amid threat claims

An anonymous caller to the Wigan Post, claiming to be the father of a student, said certain year 11 pupils of The Deanery High had been menaced by travellers.

This came after one of the youngsters also claimed he had been assaulted by one during the half-term holiday.

Police would not explain against whom the allegations had been made but did confirm that an officer went to the Frog Lane site on Tuesday afternoon to give a talk to pupils about staying safe, particularly when travelling to and from school.

But they added that there had been no sign of imminent danger during the visit.

The travelling community has been much in the news lately. Residents complained after caravans parked up in the grounds of the former Beeches hotel in Standish and, after they were finally removed, left a mess of litter.

There were also complaints about travellers setting up camp in Abram and New Springs, the landowners having to go through days of legal process in order to get them expelled. And travellers also made national news after twice pitching up in the grounds of Howe Bridge crematorium, causing distress to mourners.

A police spokesman did not give details of the alleged perpetrators’ identity, but said: “We were called at 2.10pm on Tuesday to The Deanery High School to reports of threats being made to students.

“An officer attended and spoke to pupils to give general safety advice, not least for travelling to and from school and how to report suspicious or threatening behaviour to police. While at school there was no evidence of imminent physical threat in the area.”

A Deanery statement simply read: “Police were called as a precaution because pupil safety is our number one priority.”

The caller to the Post said: “Pupils complained they had been threatened by travellers; this after a Deanery student was assaulted by one during the holidays. Then there’s been all that trouble in Standish, Abram and Howe Bridge.

“Something needs to be done about this.”