Alarm at school as teachers lock doors

TEACHERS were told to lock their doors over concerns of a trespasser on their Home Hill school’s grounds.

The Department of Education said about 3.15pm on Monday the principal at Home Hill State School told staff to lock their doors as a precautionary measure.

“As the large majority of staff and all students had left for the day, Home Hill State School did not go into lockdown,” a department spokesman said.

“No staff or students were at risk of harm at any time.”

Townsville Police District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Matt Lyons described the incident as a “sensitive matter”.

He said police took a complaint in the Home Hill area on Monday relating to a child protection incident.

“While conducting investigations with persons involved with the complaint, one of the persons has decamped into a cane field,” he said.

“As a result of that, police have activated a search and rescue. We used an emergency helicopter to try and locate the male person but it failed to locate him.”

He asked people in the Home Hill area who may know the identity and location of the person to contact Crime Stoppers or police in Home Hill or Ayr.

He confirmed no weapon was involved but said police were concerned about the man’s mental health state.

One mother from the Home Hill area, who asked to remain anonymous, said people were concerned by the large police presence.