Police are investigating after a number of schools across Scotland were targeted by a bomb threat email which is being treated as a hoax.

Councils including Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and East Lothian have said their schools are open and operating as usual.

In Edinburgh, pupils are still on holiday but teachers - who were in school for an in-service day - are understood to have been sent home as a result of the emails.

The messages are believed to have been sent to both primary and secondary schools in more than 10 different council areas.

Police in Northern Ireland said up to 300 schools there had been sent an email which contained threatens about "an explosive device". They are also treating it as a hoax.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are aware of threatening messages being sent to a number of schools across Scotland.

"These are being treated as a hoax and officers are investigating."

BBC Scotland has contacted all 32 local authorities.

So far, Scottish Borders, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh, East Dunbartonshire, Angus, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, Moray, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire have confirmed they are aware of schools receiving the threat.

Highland and Aberdeenshire councils said they were not aware of any threat, while West Dunbartonshire and East Ayrshire referred to the Police Scotland statement.

A spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Council said many of its schools had received a "malicious threat" and staff immediately followed relevant procedures.

"After notifying Police Scotland, the communication is being investigated as a hoax, and our schools are operating as normal," the spokesperson said.

A message sent to parents and carers by Perth and Kinross council said the email had been received by some of its schools and nurseries.

The statement said: "Similar emails have been received by schools across the country and reported to Police Scotland. They are being investigated as a hoax communication and, importantly, there is currently no information to suggest any cause for concern.

"We know reports like this can be worrying for families. As children and young people prepare to return next week, please be reassured that their safety and wellbeing, and that of our staff, remains our highest priority."

Pupils in several parts of Scotland pupils are on holiday, while in some other areas only teachers are in school for an in service day.

Schools in England and Wales are also on half-term holidays.

Edinburgh City Council's education convenor, James Dalgleish, said: "While I'm obviously relieved that this is has been confirmed as a hoax, I'm hugely frustrated that someone would target schools and young people in this way - causing unnecessary disruption right across the UK."

He said the impact on pupils was "thankfully more limited" due to the in service day, but that this "doesn't take away from the stupidity of this person's actions".