A Rotorua primary school was placed into lockdown following reports of an armed man on the school's grounds this afternoon.

In a statement sent to SunLive, a police spokesperson says Sunset Primary School was locked down following a report of a person who was observed carrying what was described as a firearm at 12.13pm.

'Police have now spoken to two individuals. One individual was found to be transporting a BB gun in a manner that understandably caused alarm and prompted a 111 phone call to police.

'Upon locating the individual with the BB gun, Police have given advice on how they should transport such weapons, such as not pointing BB guns in urban areas. The gun was not fired.”

Sunset Primary School principal Niels Rasmussen says the lockdown was lifted shortly after 1.15pm.

'Police were further down Sunset Road and were following a person of interest, a chap who purportedly had a pistol. He'd walked through our school but made his way straight through and didn't bother anybody, he was just seen coming out of the school.”

After the school was notified of the situation, it executed its standard lockdown procedure which involves locking both the external and internal gates, and placing pupils in a room secured by two sets of locked doors with the curtains drawn. Pupils are also kept below the level of the windows.

A couple of the pupils were upset by the situation and the school was also contacted by a number of parents trying to find out if their children were safe, he says.

'Of course being parents they're concerned for their children. We try and let as many people know what's happening and that their kids are safe via our school's Facebook page.”

Neil says he is pleased there was a successful outcome and has high praise for police.

'My compliments to the police for keeping us so well informed. They notified us as early as possible and provided us with assistance straight away.

'Today's lockdown was disruptive but not a major disruption, we've given the children a longer lunch to make up for it.”