Bomb squads called in to blow up chemicals at Midland schools
Bomb squads have been called to schools across the country - including at least two in the Midlands - following a Government warning over a lab chemical.
Around a dozen schools across the UK are believed to have called in the military bomb disposal teams to conduct controlled explosions in recent days.
The controlled explosions are being carried over the improperly stored A-level chemistry substance 2,4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine (DNP).
It comes as the government issued national guidance with teachers urging them to check if laboratories were storing DNP.
St Dominic's Priory School, Stone, was one of the schools to have the disposal team on site on Thursday. A controlled explosion was carried out.
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson, Vicky Beech, said: "We had a call from a school in the Stone area on November 3 following their receipt of national guidance regarding the disposal of a hazardous substance.
"The EOD (Explosives and Ordnance Disposal) team attended and dealt with it. The particular chemical involved does not pose any danger as long as it is not being handled. Disposal work was done outside normal school hours to minimise disruption."
The De Montfort School confirmed that a controlled explosion had taken place after the end of the school day and there was 'no ongoing risk to students or staff'.
Reports state that a school in Redditch along with two in Carmarthenshire, Wales, were also effected, alongside schools and colleges in Ipswich, Bolton and the Isle of Wight.
However, some of the explosions have also prompted complaints on social media.
Residents in Wem, who live near to Thomas Adams School, claimed the loud bang caused them 'distress', with many alerting the fire service at around 8pm on Monday evening.
Headteacher, Liz Dakin, issued an apology to people for any distress caused but said they were following police instructions.
West Midlands Police spokesperson, Kate Baker, said: "Schools have been contacted by the Department for Education to remind them of the importance of storing chemicals for practical science activities carefully. Advice is available for schools on the CLEAPPS website and if necessary schools can call the CLEAPPS helpline for advice.
"Anyone with concerns about storage at particular schools should report them directly to their school."
Advisory body Cleapss (the Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Equipment) issued the warning on how to correctly store DNP last week.
It comes as an experiment using the chemical is back on the A-level syllabus, so teachers may be getting out old stock.
In school labs it is often used in experiments to identify carbonyl compounds.
But the red-orange substance can become hazardous if it dries out.
