A TEENAGER had to be spoken to by police at a school after reports he was in possession of a ‘stun gun’.

Officers were called to Haslingden High School at the end of last month by staff to reports a boy was in possession of the weapon.

When officers arrived they found the the item was in fact a lighter ‘containing a small electrical charge’.

Police said they spoke to the boy, 13, to advise him on his behaviour.

Mark Jackson, headteacher at Haslingden High School in Broadway, said the school acted quickly to resolve the issue.

They also joined police in giving the pupil advice over his future actions in school.

Mr Jackson said: “I can confirm that an incident did take place within school, which was quickly dealt with.

“The student involved was given some advice, and this resolved the issue.”

Staff at the school confirmed the student was spoken with over the incident and no further action was necessary.

Officers said after inspecting the device which the concerns had been raised over they deemed it to not be the weapon suspected.

A police spokesman said: “On Friday 25 May we were called by Haslingden High School to the report that a pupil, a 13-year-old boy, was in possession of a stun gun.

“We attended and after speaking with the boy and looking at the device, it was found to be a lighter containing a small electrical charge.

“The boy was given some words of advice.”

The school, which teaches children from age 11 to 18, has more than 1,500 pupils on its roll.

Cllr Val Roberts, who represents the Greenfield ward where the school is located, said staff at the school acted correctly by taking precautions over the issue.

She said: “The school has done the right thing by calling the police straight away.

“If they had any reports that the child could have had a stun gun then calling police was the best action for the safety of everyone.

“Thankfully it’s turned out it wasn’t that serious.

“It’s good to see they’ve acted quickly to deal with it in-house as best as they can.”

In 2014, a man was jailed in Scotland for carrying a lighter shaped like a gun.

Stephen White, of Clydebank, was convicted of carrying a replica gun without “lawful authority or reasonable excuse”.           

He was charged under the Firearms Act 1968, which makes it illegal to have an imitation firearm in a public place.