Hoax bomb threats made to hundredsof schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Around 1,000 schools across Scotland and at least 300 in Northern Ireland received hoax bomb threats on Wednesday, prompting some evacuations as a precaution. Police said the messages were not credible, and schools were advised to resume classes, reassuring families that pupils were safe.

Similar threats were sent to about 6,000 schools in Italy, where hundreds were reported evacuated; Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said checks had found no evidence of a concrete danger. Schools in the Republic of Ireland also received generic threats. Police in Scotland are working with UK and overseas agencies to identify those responsible, while no public evidence has confirmed a reported Islamist link to last month’s threats.