Imitation guns have been seized and a person is in custody after students at two New Zealand schools were plunged into lockdown on Wednesday.

Students at Hamilton schools Hillcrest High School and Silverdale Normal School were kept inside their classrooms while police attended an incident near the intersection of Silverdale Road and Masters Avenue at 3pm on Wednesday. 

Some staff members at the school were armed ‘as a precaution’, the NZ Herald reported. 

According to the Hillcrest High School Facebook page, the school went into lockdown at 3.13pm.

‘Please do not come to the school. We will let you know when it is safe to release students,’ the post read. 

One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said the situation was ‘alarming’. 

‘I saw cop cars coming down Silverdale Road. There were about four and that happened quite quickly, no sirens just lights,’ they said.

Other witnesses watched on as the Armed Offenders Squad and police with dogs arrived at the scene.

Hillcrest High School was one of two schools locked down on Wednesday afternoon

‘One person has been taken into custody following a reported firearms sighting in Silverdale this afternoon,’ police said in a statement. 

‘Two imitation firearms have been recovered from the address.

‘We want to thank the members of the Silverdale community for their cooperation as Police responded to this event.’

Police cordons were lifted and students released from the lockdown about 5.20pm.

Charges are being considered.

‘We realise this has caused inconvenience and stress to our community but our first priority is the safety of our students and staff,’ Hillcrest High School said in a statement.

‘The school is satisfied the emergency processes and procedures undertaken were appropriate and carried out in the best interests of students and staff of Hillcrest High School.’