Five arrested after gang with knives enter college grounds

Five people have been arrested after a gang of males armed with knives entered the grounds of a college and threatened students.

Staff at Runshaw College in Leyland, Lancashire, rang police on Monday at 10.40am after they received an anonymous report stating a group with weapons were heading to the college by train from Manchester.

Officers were sent to the site and shortly before 4pm they witnessed a group of males walking into the grounds while students were leaving.

Some of the group were seen carrying knives and making threats towards students, said Lancashire Police.

A 17-year-old boy was nicked on the arm during the incident and has been taken to Chorley Hospital.

His injury is not thought to be serious. No-one else was injured during the incident, police added.

The group made off from the college when police patrols arrived.

Three people who were inside a parked Nissan Micra close by were arrested. A fourth person who made off on foot was also arrested.

A Peugeot 306 was later stopped on the M55 and a fifth person was arrested in connection with the disorder.

Chief Inspector Gary Crowe, from Leyland Police, said: “We believe this was a targeted attack in that we think the group have gone to find someone and a separate student has received a minor injury. This was not a random attack.

“I would like to reassure people that the incident has now come to a close. The safety of the college’s students and staff remains our priority and so we have stepped up patrols in the area and this will continue. We have and will remain in close contact with the college.

“If you have any information, or any mobile phone footage of the incident, please make contact with us. You can call 101 quoting incident reference 933 of today (March 4).”

British Transport Police authorised the use of Section 60 Stop and Search Powers at Leyland Train Station until 10pm on Monday.

Runshaw College tweeted it would be open on Tuesday as usual for classes.