POLICE were called to a Weymouth primary school after an 11-year old boy ran riot with a baseball bat.

Pupils were locked inside their classrooms and some hid under tables as teachers tried to restrain the boy.

Officers attended the scene at St Andrew’s Primary School in Preston just after 1pm yesterday after they received a call from a worried member of staff.

The boy, who the Echo has decided not to identify, was eventually found in the school grounds and spoken to by police.

A parent who didn’t want to be named said: “My child said she was absolutely terrified when it happened. This boy was swinging a wooden bat at pupils in the corridors.

“The teachers were told to lock the classroom doors and I understand the headteacher tried to lock down the school so no-one could get in or out. The children hadn’t a clue what was happening and some of them got really scared because teachers were running everywhere and they were locked in the classroom.

“Some were hiding under chairs and it wasn’t until the police arrived and escorted the boy off the school grounds that things settled down.

“No-one seems to know how it all started but I hope the school show some character in dealing with it properly.”

Headteacher at St Andrews, Vanessa Lucus, confirmed that an incident had taken place but said that the police presence had merely been a precautionary action and that it had been reported to the local educational authority.

She said: “Everything was dealt with very quickly and professionally. We are discussing the matter with the family.

“He didn’t hit anyone – it was just the fact that he had the bat and he was very angry and we felt we needed the back-up from the police.

“They were with us very fast, but they were not needed.”

She added that the bat the boy had taken had been out as part of the school’s sports day events.

She said: “He was just angry generally, but by the time the police got here he was sitting down in the library without the bat.

“Calling the police was a precaution but you can’t run the risk with a child when they have lost their temper. I have a duty of care to all the students.”

She added: “No action was taken by the police. They were only there in a supportive way but it was over by the time they got here.”

“It was one of those unfortunate things and the staff got the other children out of the way to a place of safety.

“It’s done and over as far as I’m concerned. No children were upset and no parents have discussed it with me.

“It was dealt with very professionally and it was all over in a few minutes.”

A spokesman for Dorset police said: “We received a call from a woman and a member of staff on a landline at 1pm, from St Andrew’s C of E Primary School reporting an incident of anti-social behaviour.

“There was an 11-year-old boy with a bat said to be running about inside the school grounds.

“Officers attended, by which time the young boy was accompanied by a guardian and he was taken home.”

He added: “No-one was injured, it was a behavioural matter.

“When police arrived at 1.04pm he was calm and he left with a guardian at 1.23pm.”