Bomb threats emailed to schools in Stevenage, Fairfield and other parts of the country are being treated by Herts police as hoaxes, the force has confirmed.

Police responded to reports of bomb threats at The Valley School in Stevenage and Fairfield Park Lower School in Fairfield – where staff chose to evacuate students – as well as other schools across the country.

A Herts police spokeswoman said: “We can now confirm that bomb threats made to seven schools in Hertfordshire are being treated as hoaxes.

“Enquiries are continuing and we are working with other police forces across the country, who have schools in their areas that have also received threats, to investigate who is responsible.

“We take hoaxes extremely seriously. They divert police resources and cause disruption and alarm to the public.”

In Bedfordshire, police had earlier advised that evacuation was not appropriate and that they believed the emails to be “malicious”.

A Central Beds Council spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the distribution of the ‘bomb threat’ email which has been sent to schools in our area and across the country.

“We have contacted our schools to advise that we are actively liaising with Bedfordshire Police, who have indicated that they regard the communication as malicious rather than terrorist-related.”

The Valley School was one of seven schools targeted in Herts. The others were Abbot’s Hill School in Hemel Hempstead, Hertford’s The Sele School, Duncombe School, and Richard Hale School, Stanborough School in Watford, and St Albans High School For Girls.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation should call Herts police via the non-emergency number 101, quoting ISR 172 of March 19, or report information online at herts.police.uk/report.

Alternatively contact independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.

No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded, and you will never need to go to court.