It is an act of pure bastardry, an attempt to drive fear into the hearts of innocent people for little more than a sick, vicarious thrill.

The barrage of bomb hoaxes across the nation in recent weeks meant it was only a matter of time until the threat was visited upon the Riverina.

And yesterday’s incidents at Sacred Heart Primary School and Junee High will likely not be the last to impact locally.

It’s easy to shrug off these hoaxes as precisely that – hoaxes.

The perpetrators have obviously gone for an indiscriminate, scattergun approach, using a recorded message (with an American accent) and targeting numerous schools in a day.

Indeed, Junee High was targeted on its swimming carnival day when no one was at school, hardly the act of a strategic mastermind.

But if it was your most treasured possession at risk – your child –would you take it seriously?

Parents at Sacred Heart yesterday revealed their feelings of sheer panic when they were told of the threat.

Some, like Justine Brentnall, were forced to endure an agonising wait after calling the school and not receiving an answer.

Primal instincts automatically kicked in and Mrs Brentnall could only think of one thing – holding her child in her arms.

In today’s environment of trigger-hair sensitivity to terrorism, it is understandable that many parents would fear the worst.

This is precisely what the hoaxers thrive on.

Let’s also think of how such threats can imprint a young brain.

To a primary aged schoolchild, a sudden evacuation could be both terrifying and confusing.

Parents should be grateful for the professionalism and poise staff showed at Sacred Heart yesterday.

Teachers are a child’s custodian for a large slab of each weekday and we entrust them to act appropriately.

Children have a right to feel safe and parents have a right to feel furious at these hoaxers.

No community should be subjected to this.

The perpetrators need to be stopped. And soon.