Parents have told of the horrific moment they were ‘screaming’ for their children after a primary school was put on ‘lockdown’ amid reports of a man with a knife on Wednesday (January 22).
It is understood the suspect had attempted to attack a parent after an altercation, before pulling out a knife in the playground. Armed police were called out to the scene at Lily Lane Primary School, on Kenyon Lane, at around 3pm.
Pictures and videos showed police vehicles arriving on blue lights, with scores of parents seen waiting outside the locked school gates.
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One mum, who claimed her daughter was locked indoors for around 45 minutes, said: “My partner had gone to pick my daughter up from school and he was gone for ages. He came back saying they wouldn’t let her or the students out and that the police were there.
“I got there and there were armed police and everything. The gates were locked, the school was on lockdown and they weren’t letting anyone in or out.
“There were hundreds of parents all waiting outside and we were all locked out. I was panicking and asking what was going on, and that I wanted my daughter. I was screaming that my child was locked in, and they just kept telling us all the children were safe.
“It was about 45 minutes my child was locked in there. It was awful. My daughter was asking what was going on and had to walk out past huge officers with guns.”
Another mum, who was also locked outside the front gates, added: “I was told a man chased another man through the playground with a knife. When I arrived all the gates were locked and there were teachers all over the playground.
“Loads of police turned up and there were armed officers in reception. I was terrified, especially not having any proper information from the school.
“I was concerned about my daughters welfare and if she was worried. We live so close to the school so is terrifying also. You don’t think something like that would happen in a primary school.”
No injuries were reported in the incident. A 20-year-old man was detained and arrested on suspicion of attempted assault and taken into custody.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Officers were called to reports of a man with a knife at a primary school on Kenyon Lane in Moston at around 3pm this afternoon (Thursday 22 January 2025).
“Armed officers quickly attended the school and as a precaution, the school was put into lockdown. Thankfully, no one was injured A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted assault. Enquiries into the incident remain ongoing.”
