ONE of the region's biggest shopping centres was evacuated today (Friday, May 27) as police investigated a threat made to staff.

The Cleveland Centre in Middlesbrough town centre was closed at about 4.15pm but staff were allowed to return an hour later and the official all-clear came at about 6pm.

Earlier in the day Ayresome Primary School, also in Middlesbrough, was also evacuated following a “potential security threat” thought to be a bomb threat, but it is not yet known if police are linking to the two incidents.

Cleveland Police believe both security alerts were hoaxes.

The school closed just before 11am when staff called parents to collect the children. Earlier in the week a Stockton school, Rosebrook Primary, was also put into lockdown after an anonymous bomb threat, one of a number made around the country.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said the school threat was "being treated as a hoax," earlier in the day.

After the Cleveland Centre evacuated the spokeswoman said: "We were informed of a threat being made by telephone call to the Cleveland Centre’s administration department. All staff and customers were evacuated from the centre. This threat is being treated as a hoax."

Cleveland Centre Manager Graeme Skillen said: “At 4.20pm, our security team received what sounded like a recorded telephone message stating that there was a bomb in the centre, and that it was about to go off.

“We naturally called police and evacuated the centre immediately. Thankfully, nothing suspicious was found.

“We would like to thank shoppers and retail staff for their cooperation and our own staff for the professionalism they displayed.”

Writing on social media one shopper, Sarah Martins said: "We all need to unite and show them we are not scared of the pathetic low lives who are doing this."