Royal United Hospital Bath: Armed police respond to reports of 'man with knife'

Bath's Royal United Hospital and a local primary school were put in lockdown as armed police responded to reports of a man with a knife.

Hospital staff contacted the police at around 9.45am this morning saying they had received a phone call from an unknown male making 'verbal threats'.

Officers say half an hour later, they received another call from someone making 'verbal threats' alongside a report that a man was carrying a 'bladed weapon' in the hospital.

Avon and Somerset Police sent armed officers to the scene and asked people to stay clear of the area.

A spokesperson from the force said: "We received a report of a man carrying an item, which there were concerns could have been a bladed weapon, in the vicinity of the hospital at 10.35am but at this moment in time this has not been confirmed.

"Enquiries are ongoing to identify the man in question to establish what they were in possession of.

"No injuries have been reported.

"The Royal United Hospital decided as a precaution to go into a lockdown.

"We advised a local primary school to also go into lockdown as a precaution too, but both have now been lifted.

"We’d like to reassure the public that there have been no reported injuries and a police presence remains in the area."