Pupils and parents were left terrified after a hoax call threatening to gun down a school.

Galliard Primary School, in Galliard Road, Edmonton, kept children in their classrooms after receiving a call from a man threatening to shoot pupils and teachers at the school, according to reports.

Two of three entrances were shut off at the school but it was revealed the call was a hoax and the school resumed its normal day.

A parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “We have been left terrified by the whole experience. All we knew is there had been a hoax but the school told us nothing more.

“We have been kept in the dark about what really happened. My daughter was very frightened, something terrible could have happened.”

An Enfield Council spokesperson said: "The safety of pupils and staff is our overwhelming priority and after receiving a specific threat targeting Galliard School the police were called and access to the site was restricted as a precaution.

"The threat was subsequently revealed to have been a hoax and the school day proceeded as normal. We would urge anyone who has any information about this hoax to contact the police so the perpetrator can be caught and dealt with appropriately.

"Parents were reassured there had been a hoax call but it is not our policy to discuss the details of such hoax calls."