A security guard at one of four Whanganui schools that went into lockdown this morning says the emergency is over.
Tawhero School, St Marcellins, Rutherford Junior High and the Pasifika Learning Centre went into alert after reports of a male carrying a firearm wearing a balaclava in the area before 8am.
Security guard Aaron Mahony said no one at that school saw the man.
Mr Mahony said the school was in lockdown between 8.30am and 9.30am.
Earlier police had put up a cordon around Tawhero area and advised to delay dropping their children at school.
The manager of the Pasifika Learning Centre said its children went through a range of emotions when it was put in lockdown.
Ms Puhipuhi said the centre is licensed for 30 children but just a handful had arrived for the day.
A father was also caught-up in the situation.
Ms Puhipuhi said staff got the children to crawl on the floor to a play area in a safe corner of the building until the cordon was lifted.