TWO teenagers sparked a gun alert at a Nelson school.

Lancashire Police's armed response unit were called to Walton High after teachers spotted the boys at the gates with what appeared to be a pistol.

Quick-thinking teachers called police to the Oxford Road school at 3.45pm - and used a mobile phone to take pictures for officers.

The boys, aged 13 and 14, from Nelson, were arrested and questioned at Nelson Police Station. They were later released without charge.

Headteacher Geoff Walker today praised the actions of his staff and said: "One of the senior teachers was on duty when they noticed two lads hanging around outside the school gates.

"They said they were there to meet some friends at the school when the teacher noticed what looked like a pistol in his pocket.

"With things like this we can't take any risks and the police told us that we'd done the right thing.

"It turned out to be a BB pellet gun but the teachers took all the necessary precautions to deal with this incident."

He added: "We would like to point out that nobody was hurt and that the two boys had nothing to do with the school."

A police spokesman said: "The armed response unit attended as a precaution and two males were arrested before a BB gun was recovered."