Threating emails sent to Southland Schools yesterday (12 Feb), have now been deemed a hoax by Police.

Police said - in their online post - that they were notified about the emails about 8.30pm last night.

However after extensive inquiries, including staff visiting several of the locations mentioned, they were confident the email was a hoax and that the person implicated in the email as responsible was not involved.

Additional staff will be on patrol this morning to provide reassurance to school communities, the post said.

Police said inquiries into the origins of the email were ongoing.