SIX more Hampshire schools have been targeted in bomb scares – just days after two colleges were searched by police.

A full police search was carried out at Whiteley Primary School at about 1pm yesterday after the building was evacuated amid reports of a threatening email.

It came just minutes after Arnewood School, in New Milton, and Hale Primary School, near Fordingbridge, were emptied for the same reason. The content of the hoax messages has yet to be revealed.

But police believe the threats were part of a linked series of “malicious communications” aimed at educational establishments around the country.

The investigation also involves bomb scares at Eastleigh College and Brockenhurst College on Friday. As previously reported, Eastleigh College received an email claiming an explosive device had been planted on the campus.

Other schools across Hampshire, including Four Marks C of E, Eggar’s School in Holybourne, Portway School in Andover and Robert May’s School in Odiham also received malicious communications yesterday.

Although the scares have sparked disruption for schools and colleges involved, nothing has been found in any of the searches carried out so far.