Police make arrest after hospital in lockdown amid reports of 'man with machete'

02 February 2024 , 18:50

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The scene at the Royal United Hospital, Bath where a knifeman had been reported (Image: SWNS)

A man has been arrested over an incident which caused a hospital and a primary school in Bath to be 'locked down' earlier today.

Royal United Hospital was temporarily closed following reports of a man seen wandering around with a machete after "threatening calls" were allegedly made to staff. Armed police were seen on site following emergency calls at 9.45am with witnesses reporting seeing a knifeman at the hospital. Wards were shut and patients arriving at A&E were turned away, it was claimed.

Avon and Somerset Police said this evening a man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of making threatening communications and remains in custody. A statement said: "A man has been arrested in connection with an incident at Royal United Hospital in Bath earlier today (February 2). Police attended after a report by hospital staff of a man making verbal threats by phone.

"A short time later there was also a report of a man in the area carrying an unknown item, which the informant was concerned may have been a bladed weapon, but this is not something that remains unverified.

"The hospital decided to go into a lockdown and we advised a nearby school to take a similar precautionary measure. Both lockdowns were lifted in the early-afternoon and access to both the hospital and school are now unrestricted. We have arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of threatening communications and he is in police custody."

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The hospital went into lockdown during the incident (SWNS)

A large number of emergency response teams were sent to the site. Some inside the hospital say they were initially told to "draw their blinds" and stay in their rooms while the site was effectively placed on "lockdown". Others were then let out to a place of safety.

One witness said four Hazardous Area Response Team ambulances with staff in "full body armour" were on the scene while several armed police vehicles were also spotted. Police later confirmed the lockdown had been lifted.

A previous police statement said: "Hospital staff contacted the police at approximately 9.45am to report they had received a telephone call from an unknown male who made verbal threats. A police presence was already at the hospital for an unrelated matter, who liaised with hospital security teams."

Witnesses claim people were stopped from entering A&E (SWNS)

"A second call making verbal threats was received at about 10.15am and further officers were also dispatched to attend the scene, including firearms officers. We received a report of a man carrying an item, which there were concerns could have been a bladed weapon, in the vicinity of the hospital at approximately 10.35am, but at this moment in time that has not been confirmed. Enquiries are ongoing to identify the man in question to establish what they were in possession of."

They added: "The Royal United Hospital decided as a precaution to go into a lockdown. We advised a local primary school to also go into lockdown as a precaution too, but both have now been lifted. We'd like to reassure the public that there have been no reported injuries and a police presence remains in the area."

Ryan Merrifield