Parents at an Aberystwyth secondary school have been left fearing for the safety of their children after an alleged threat from two 15-year-old students to shoot pupils and staff.

Penglais School, which confirmed it is working with Ceredigion County Council and the police on a “safeguarding issue”, said there was “no threat to student safety”.

Worried parents said they were told by children that threats had been made to “shoot and kill children and teachers” on Friday - the last day of term.

Police said that an investigation had begun, and searches of the two pupils’ homes had been undertaken.

No weapons were found, police said, and no arrests have been made.

A police spokesperson added: “Arrangements have been made for voluntary interviews to take place with the two individuals concerned and the investigation continues.”

Concerned parents on Monday night and this morning took to social media, saying they had been “left in the dark” after rumours of the threats emerged.

Parents called the school seeking answers, but were left “anxious” about the lack of information from the school over the incident and what was being done, with some keeping their children off school as a precaution until they received assurances.

One parent on social media said that the school “should have informed parents about it”.

“At least give us peace of mind that they’d sorted it and there was no need for concern,” she said.

“But they didn’t and now there’s going to be an uproar about how it was dealt with.

“A pupil threatening to shoot and kill children and teachers is no laughing matter.”

In a letter sent to parents at 9.10am on Tuesday morning, Penglais School headteacher Mair Hughes said that there is “no threat to student safety”.

“As a school we are aware that safeguarding concerns have been raised by students regarding comments made about an alleged incident taking place on Friday,” Ms Hughes said.

“The school has been working alongside the local authority and the police, and we can reassure staff, parents and students that all necessary control measures have been taken to negate any risks and there is no threat to student safety on Friday.”

Ms Hughes did not elaborate on what the measures put in place were, nor the specifics of the incident, leaving worried parents “even more anxious”.

Parents said the response was “not good enough” and “not very reassuring”.

“As very concerned parents we have the right to know what measures have been taken to keep our children safe,” one parent said.

Ceredigion council issued the same response as Ms Hughes gave to parents when questioned by the Cambrian News.

The authority would also not elaborate on the seriousness of the threat nor what measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of pupils.