A school in Ayrshire was evacuated today after staff received a threatening phone call.

Pupils at St John’s Primary in Ayr were taken to nearby Newton Primary.

A major police investigation is already underway after schools across Scotland were targeted by threatening calls this week.

Police said there was “no intelligence” to suggest the threats were credible but that they were being taken seriously.

It has been reported that 27 schools across the UK received similar threatening calls today, including Towerbank Primary in Edinburgh and Hallglen Primary in Falkirk.

Douglas Hutchison, South Ayrshire Council’s Director of Educational Services, said, “St John’s Primary was evacuated today after the school received an anonymous telephone threat.

“Although there was no suggestion that this was a credible threat, the school was evacuated as a precaution.

"All children were moved safely to Newton Primary where they were looked after by their own teachers and school staff.

"Once the emergency services gave the all clear and declared it safe to return, pupils and staff returned to St John’s.”