TWENTY-four hours after over 1,500 pupils were sent home from a school after a teenager had been threatened by a youth who claimed he had a gun, the same school was embroiled in another police operation. Police went back to Samuel Whitbread Community Coll

TWENTY-four hours after over 1,500 pupils were sent home from a school after a teenager had been threatened by a youth who claimed he had a gun, the same school was embroiled in another police operation.

Police went back to Samuel Whitbread Community College in Clifton yesterday (Thursday) after reports that a pupil was carrying a knife.

A 16-year-old pupil was spoken to by an officer, say Beds Police, and a knife with a three-inch blade was found in his possession.

The student was arrested and taken to Dunstable Police Station where he was questioned.

School headteacher Robert Robson declined to make any comment on this latest incident through Bedfordshire County Council.

Yesterday (Thursday) Mr Robson admitted he used the excuse of a burst water pipe in the school to cover the real reason why pupils were sent home early on Wednesday.

He later revealed he had taken advice from police after a pupil had received a series of threatening texts.

That youth was also arrested at his home but no gun as found.

Mr Robson said in a statement to parents yesterday: "We could not give details of the closure at the time, as it could have caused unnecessary panic which, in turn, would have made it unsafe for some students as they left the school site and may have compromised planned police operations.