Smethwick manhunt launched for domestic violence suspect

A high number of officers were visible in the area around Uplands Cemetery as police searched for the man.

Meanwhile children were kept inside at nearby Uplands Manor Primary School on Addenbrooke Road, where the gates were locked by staff as a precaution.

However the search for the domestic violence suspect was not linked to the school, police confirmed.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "You may have noticed an increased police presence in and around Hales Lane, Smethwick, today.

"Officers are currently in the area looking for a man who is wanted for domestic violence related offences.

"There is no cause for the public to be concerned and we want to reassure you that the police activity is an attempt to locate the suspect."

Paul Moore, headteacher at the primary school, said: "We were alerted by the police that there was a potential threat that someone may have come to the school this morning.

"Therefore we instantly put our emergency action plan into place which was to put the school into lockdown.

"We contacted the local authorities and sent out reassuring texts to the parents. We told them that the children were safe and at no time did anyone come onto the site."

Staff at the school, which has 960 pupils, were alerted to the police incident at 10am.

Mr Moore continued: "I was incredibly proud of how everyone acted. Staff also gave up their lunchtime to stay with the children at all times.

"We did have a few concerned parents who wished to collect their children, which they had the right to do so.

"We have strong safeguarding measures at Uplands Manor that were put in place today.

"We made sure that the children were kept calm and police left the site just after 2pm."

Caroline Ball, who lives near to the school, has a six-year-old son who is in year 2 and a four-year-old granddaughter in nursery.

She said: "We were out at the time and really concerned. There was a police car in the grounds when we came back.

"The text said that the children were perfectly safe, but still we were worried.

"All the gates were locked and we were a little angry that the school couldn't tell us anything more."

Neighbour Jez Myers, added: "There was a large police presence in the area today. The main thing was that the children were kept safe and nothing bad happened. It's still frightening in light of recent events."