Three men have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in female genital mutilation (FGM) after police discovered surgical equipment at an unregistered school in Birmingham.

       The alarm was raised earlier this week when Ofsted inspectors discovered a locked room with a bed and medical supplies at a facility they had raided.

       Inspectors had been investigating claims that the school was operating without having registered with the Department for Education.

       Concerned about the presence of medical equipment, they called the police and detectives attended the site and detained three people, including two men aged 32 and 61.

       They were arrested on suspicion of involvement in FGM and held for questioning. A third man was released on bail.

       The unregistered school has not been identified, but is understood to be a religious institution that was claiming to be a fee-paying independent premises.

       Police investigating

       It is not clear at this stage whether any actual offences have taken place at the school and police said they are still working to establish the full circumstances and identify any possible victims.

       A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We were called at 11.39am on Tuesday 10 May by Ofsted inspectors who were investigating reports of an unregistered school.

       “There were concerns raised about possible illegal practices which may have taken place at the premises.

       “As part of our enquiries two men, aged 32 and 61, have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in female genital mutilation and remain in custody for questioning.

       “We understand the concern this will cause within the community but it’s important to stress we’re still working to establish whether any offences have occurred. Our investigation along with partner agencies is continuing.”

       FGM, which is common in some countries in Africa and the Middle East, has been an offence in the UK since 2003.

       Practised by some as a way to preserve chastity, it is often claimed to be carried out in accordance with religious beliefs but is not supported by any religious doctrine.

       The UK’s first successful FGM prosecution came in 2019 when a 37-year-old Ugandan woman was convicted of cutting her own daughter.

       But the previous year a case collapsed when a judge ruled that there was no evidence to prove that a Somali had allowed his daughter to undergo the procedure.

       Figures on the number of FGM victims are difficult to obtain due to its secretive nature, but it is thought as many as 60,000 girls have been born to women who have undergone the procedure - many of them before coming to the UK.