A number of Merseyside schools received similar hoax communications on Monday morning
12:13, 09 Mar 2026Updated 12:47, 09 Mar 2026
Chesterfield High School in Crosby
A school was placed into temporary lockdown this morning as a “number of Merseyside schools” received malicious communications overnight. Merseyside Police said it was investigating a series of threats made to schools across the region, with LIPA School in the city centre telling parents to stay away from the school due to threats made.
In a letter to parents, shared with the ECHO, LIPA school said it had been forced to close for the day on Monday, March 9, due to a threat to cause harm. Now Chesterfield High School in Crosby, has also confirmed to parents that it implemented a “temporary lockdown procedure” in line with national policy.
Writing to parents Chesterfield High continues to say the school liaised with Merseyside Police which said the communications were thought to be a hoax.
The letter, seen by the ECHO, confirms the school’s external doors will remain locked throughout the day, and parents or carers are asked to not attend unless a “prearranged pick-up for an existing appointment has been agreed”.
The letter said in full: “As you may already be aware Chesterfield High School was part of a number of Merseyside schools which received malicious communications in the early hours of this morning.
“Upon discovery of the email this morning our leadership team took the decision to enter a temporary lockdown procedure, as is national policy, while emergency services were contacted.
Police outside LIPA School this morning(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“We liaised with officers from Merseyside Police on site who advised our leadership team that they did not believe the communications in question to be credible.
“Following this guidance we took the decision to lift the temporary lockdown and normal learning has resumed.
“As a result of the normal school day resuming we would like to please ask that parents or carers do not attend the school unless a prearranged pick-up for an existing appointment has been agreed.
“External doors will remain locked throughout the day in accordance with our normal safeguarding procedures and to further minimise disruption to our pupils’ learning experience.
“We would like to thank our staff and pupils for their impeccable behaviour in observing and adhering to our procedures.”
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police told the ECHO the force do not believe the communications to be credible, with a number of schools in the region receiving similar emails.
Chief Inspector Phil Thompson said: “We understand that parents and carers will be concerned and as a result we are liaising with all schools and providing advice and reassurance as enquiries continue.
“Based on the information we have received and assessed, there has been no requirement for those schools to close.”
If you have any information, you can call 101 or DM @MerpolCC on social media. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.