Bottisham Village College was put in lockdown today (January 23) as police swept into the area to deal with reports of a distressed man.

Staff and students were kept inside school buildings while an incident unfolded on Lode Road shortly after 2pm.

One witness on Twitter described how traffic in the centre of the village was brought to "standstill" while emergency services responded.

Rumours later began circulating that he had a knife and was threatening to pour petrol over himself near the school.

It then later emerged there were concerns for the man's mental health after his neighbour wrestled him to the ground after he appeared at her door "asking for help" with a knife in his hand.

Police, ambulance, and the fire service were all pictured attending the scene to help detain the man.

Timeline of events

Cambridgeshire police confirmed that they responded to reports of concerns for a man in Lode Road, Bottisham at 2.10pm.

At 2.33pm Stagecoach East updated customers that the number 10 service was not stopping in the village.

A few minutes later at 2.46pm an update from the school confirming the school was in lockdown was posted to its Facebook page.

Police officers said their response to the incident was concluded by 3.30pm, while the school said all buses taking students safely home had left by 3.55pm.

Man's neighbour calls the News

The man's Neighbour on Lode Road, Holly Blickem, 26, contacted the News to say she wanted to correct rumours that the man 'poured petrol' on himself near the school

Holly said he did not douse himself in petrol and the incident was contained to her garden.

She told the News : "He didn't pour petrol over himself. There was talk of a petrol can, but he didn't use it. He had it stashed in his garage.

"He simply came round to my door asking for help with a knife in his hand saying he was going to kill himself.

"I had to wrestle him to the floor while the police were called [by another neighbour] to section him.

"I had him to the ground. He is currently in police cells and they are keeping him in overnight and then are getting him some help.

"I don't want rumours going round the village.

"He is just in a bit of a dark place, bless him."

'Staff and students safe'

Staff at the school were quick to inform parents what they knew as emergency service vehicles poured into the village.

Bottisham Village College Principal Jenny Rankine sent an email to parents when the school was alerted.

It read: "We have been made aware in the last few minutes of a police incident on Lode Road and at present have been advised that the road is now closed.

"Police have blocked Lode Road and therefore there is no access in or out of the school at present.

"Please be assured all students and staff are safe.

"We will keep you updated through Twitter and Facebook.

"As soon as the incident is resolved we expect buses will arrive to take students home as normal."

Distressing reports from eyewitnesses

As reports of the incident broke, one man, whose younger brother goes to the school, told the News: "Someone poured petrol over themselves outside the college.

“People living nearby told students and parents that they’d seen it.

“Police, ambulance and fire all responded and Lode Road was closed.

“I think the situation is under control now, but the school was on lockdown.

“My little brother goes there and we got an email saying the school was shut."

Bottisham Village College

What Cambridgeshire police say about the incident

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire police said it had advised the school to "keep pupils and teachers inside as a precaution for a short while" while it responded to the incident.

She added: "A man has now been detained by police and as of 3.30pm the school was operating as normal."

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said an officer and two engines attended the incident but "no fire service actions was required".

Will the school open tomorrow?

In an update on Twitter, the school has thanked students for their "incredibly calm and supportive" response to the incident.

The tweet continued: "Their conduct made a huge difference the swift way in which the college was able to react to today’s incident. Thank you to parents for their patience and support."

The school confirmed that it would open as normal on Wednesday, January 24.

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