A major hospital near Wiltshire was locked down while police responded to concerns a man was carrying a “bladed weapon.”

Members of the public were warned to avoid the Royal United Hospital in Bath after staff received a call from an unknown male making verbal threats shortly before 9.45am on Friday, February 2.

A second call making threats was received around half an hour later, prompting armed police to attend the scene alongside officers who had already been in the area.

The hospital went into lockdown as a precaution while Avon and Somerset Police also advised a local primary school to go into lockdown.

During this time patients were advised not to travel to the area.

Police say they received further reports of a man carrying an item, which some were concerned was a bladed weapon, in the vicinity of the hospital at around 10.35am.

At the time of writing officers were still working to identify this man and establish what he was carrying.

The lockdowns have now been lifted but a police presence remains in the area to ensure the public remains safe.

A spokesperson for the force added: “We’d like to reassure the public that there have been no reported injuries and a police presence remains in the area.”