School locked down after ‘knifeman’ tried to ‘attack parent on the playground

Parents said their children were held inside the school for 45 minutes while police dealt with the attacker (Picture: Facebook)

A 20-year-old man has been arrested after he was said to have tried to attack another parent in the playground of a primary school.

Children at Lilly Lane Primary School in Manchester were told to stay inside the building after the incident at around 3pm yesterday afternoon.

A man, reportedly armed with a knife tried to attack another parent, witnesses told the Manchester Evening News.

The suspect attempted to attack a parent during an altercation before producing a knife in the incident at the school on Kenyon Lane in the Moston area.

Police later said no injuries were reported. Pictures and videos showed police vehicles arriving with blue lights on, and scores of parents waiting outside the locked school gates.

One mum, who said her daughter was locked indoors for 45 minutes, said: ‘My partner had gone to pick my daughter up from school and he was gone for ages.

Witnesses said hundreds of parents were left standing outside the school waiting for their children (Picture: Facebook)

Armed police pulled up outside the school gates after a man was reportedly armed with a knife looking for another parent (Picture: Facebook)

Teachers and police officers in the playground of Lily Lane School in Manchester during the attack (Picture: Facebook)

‘He came back saying they wouldn’t let her or the students out and that the police were there.’

‘I got there and there were armed police and everything.

‘The gates were locked, the school was on lockdown and they weren’t letting anyone in or out.’

‘There were hundreds of parents all waiting outside and we were all locked out.

‘I was panicking and asking what was going on, and that I wanted my daughter.

‘I was screaming that my child was locked in, and they just kept telling us all the children were safe.’

‘It was about 45 minutes my child was locked in there. It was awful.

‘My daughter was asking what was going on and had to walk out past huge officers with guns.’

Another mum, who was also locked outside the front gates, added: ‘I was told a man chased another man through the playground with a knife.

‘When I arrived all the gates were locked and there were teachers all over the playground.’

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: ‘Officers were called to reports of a man with a knife at a primary school on Kenyon Lane in Moston at around 3pm this afternoon (Thursday 22 January 2025).

‘Armed officers quickly attended the school and as a precaution, the school was put into lockdown.

‘Thankfully, no one was injured.

‘A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted assault.

‘Enquiries into the incident remain ongoing.’

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