PUPILS were evacuated after a Dalton school received an email threatening to blow up a device.

Dowdales School, two other Cumbrian schools, and hundreds of others across the UK, received a communication from the sender ‘payment@veltpvp.com’ that threatened action if police were informed.

The email stated: "We have sent a student in with a bomb. The bomb is set to go off in three hours.

"If you do not send money we will blow up the device. If you try to call the cops we will blow up the device."

The Cumbria schools that have reported this to police were Dowdales School, Lakes College, Lillyhall and North Lakes Primary School, Penrith.

The Dalton secondary school was evacuated as a precaution this morning, but all pupils were allowed to return to the building. Police said no bomb disposal units were sent to any of the schools as the threat was "strongly believed" to be a hoax.

In total more than 400 schools have received threatening emails demanding cash and dozens are believed to have been evacuated as a precaution. The emails are believed to have come from the United States.

Dowdales School (Official) Facebook page said: "For information and reassurance our school office received a threatening email. The decision was taken to evacuate the school as a precaution. Students and staff are safe and have returned to normal lessons. The school is liaising with the local authority and the police."

Parents were informed via the school's text alert system, although some parents said they received the message later than others.

A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs' Council said: "Police forces are aware of a series of malicious hoax communications to schools across the country. Enquiries continue to establish the facts and forces are working together to investigate who is responsible.

"Police take hoaxes extremely seriously. They divert police resources and cause disruption and alarm to the public.

"Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”

Cumbria Police Superintendent Mark Pannone said: “I’d like to reassure members of the public that enquiries are being made into communications that have been sent to three Cumbrian schools.

“It is strongly believed this is part of a national scam and there is no threat to the public.

“Our advice to schools is if they receive such an email is do not panic and please seek police advice before taking any action.

“Such malicious communications are wholly irresponsible and will not be tolerated.”

Any schools that receive the email are asked to contact police on 101.