Pupils at a secondary school have reportedly received “messages and emails stating they were going to blow up the school”.

Herts Police were called to St Michael’s Catholic High School in High Elms Lane, near Garston, after around 10 pupils were said to have got the threats on Wednesday, November 1.

Three Rivers Chief Inspector Andrew Palfreyman told the Watford Observer: “Local officers have attended resulting in a visible presence at the scene.

“However, I want to reassure parents of the school that there is no viable threat at this time. My officers are investigating to establish the full circumstances of what has happened.”

It is understood that parents were sent communications by the school explaining it thinks it knows who was behind them. But more emails then reportedly appeared again on Saturday, November 4.

St Michael’s headteacher Edward Conway said: “We are working closely with the police after some of our students received malevolent messages.

“The wellbeing of our young people and wider school community remains our priority.

“I am delighted to report that the school remains a very calm and purposeful environment with Year 11 and Year 13 students currently sitting internal exams.”

It was reported that some of the messages were also “very racist”, though that has not been confirmed by the school.

Herts Police have since said the messages were "of a racist nature", but declined to comment further.

It comes a few weeks after a similar but unrelated incident at Hertswood Academy in Borehamwood.

A teenage boy from Hertfordshire was arrested on suspicion of blackmail after the school received a "hoax bomb threat" last month. He has since been released on bail.

Officers attended the scene alongside an explosive detection dog, but following several “comprehensive” searches no devices were found.

Detective Inspector Beth Hanna said: “We understand this incident would have been extremely unsettling for those connected to the school and for the wider community as a whole. The incident has since been confirmed as a hoax.

“Officers were at the school yesterday to provide reassurance and patrols will continue in the area.

“Now an arrest has been made, it’s important that people refrain from providing commentary or speculation on social media, to allow the investigation to take its course.”