A GROUP of travellers has promised to move on at the weekend following claims two schoolgirls were threatened with a shotgun.

Police sent a liaison officer to speak to the people living on land in Sett End Road after an incident at Queen's Park Technology College, Shadsworth Road, Blackburn.

The travellers told the officer they were now intending to move on at the weekend, which has satisfied police - sensitive to any tension following the accusations - that there will not be any confrontations with the pupils.

Police have now ended their inquiry into the incident without making any progress and being unable to find a gun.

An major emergency operation was launched after the two pupils told deputy head Will Wale that they had been threatened with a shotgun following an altercation with two men on land close to Sett End Road.

The force helicopter was deployed while armed officers searched the travellers' property, surrounding area and a van seen leaving Shadsworth.

Inspector Graham Keat said the travelling community had been very amiable and added: "A vehicle was seen leaving the area and we did an armed stop search because of the situation, which is common police procedure. They were members of the travelling community and nothing was found.

"We also made a thorough search of the area and no weapons were found. All lines of inquiry have now been completed to our satisfaction.

"An allegation was made, but we haven't found anything to confirm a firearm was used.

"In this instance, because we could not get any more intelligence as they were no more witnesses, we had to treat it as a firearms incident. In different circumstances we might have addressed the incident in a different way. We have done the best we can.

"Any new incidents will be treated with complete objectivity, but there have been no recurrences and the travellers are intending to move out of the area in the next couple of days."

The pupils were kept inside the school while the police operation was undertaken.

A letter was sent out to parents informing them of the incident and saying that, because the children had behaved 'sensibly' and 'maturely', school would close early on Friday.

The travellers moved into the area several weeks ago.