TWO terrified schoolgirls were threatened with a shotgun after a row with men on spare ground during the morning break.

Police were called to land near Queen's Park Technology College, Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, just after 10.30am yesterday.

They said two pupils , who have not been named, were involved in an altercation with two men on land close to Sett End Road, near the edge of the school grounds.

One of the men was then said to have threatened the teenagers with a shotgun. The children returned to the school and reported the incident to their headmaster.

A police armed response unit and the force helicopter were called to the scene and the area was searched.

A search of a nearby travellers site was also carried out, but no arrests were made. Police were today searching for a light coloured Ford Transit van spotted in the area.

According to a school spokesman a member of staff saw a group of pupils congregating in the area and escorted them back to classrooms.

Deputy headteacher Will Wale said: "The girls were on the boundary of school property when they thought they saw a weapon. A member of staff saw children gathering round and dispersed them and guided them back into school.

"I then escorted the two girls in to find out what had happened. They told me they had seen a weapon and I contacted police straight away.

"We delayed the lunch break because of the police operation but pupils remained in school until the normal finishing time of 2.45pm."

Children were kept in classrooms while the police search was carried out. At 1pm the search was called off, but the investigation is ongoing.

The school is due to close at 2pm tomorrow as a way of thanking the students for the way they handled the situation.

Inspector Graham Keat said: "Two children stated they were involved in an altercation with two males, one of whom was alleged to have threatened them with them with what was described as a shotgun."

A letter was sent to parents yesterday to inform them of what took place. Headmaster Ian Bott said staff made every effort to follow police instructions and ensured the children were kept safe.

He added that the children had behaved sensibly and appropriately throughout the ordeal.