A police bomb squad was dispatched to a UK town following reports of a « potentially suspicious » item. A residential area in Rushden was evacuated on Sunday evening, and a « precautionary » 100-metre cordon was put in place by Northamptonshire Police.
A rest cente was set up for people living in the area affected, Rockingham Court, at Hope Methodist Church, while specialist officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit assessed the item. The force said to have been called to the scene shortly before 7pm on March 14.
A statement from Northamptonshire Police released yesterday read: « We are this evening (March 14) responding to an incident in Rushden. Police officers were called just before 7pm following reports of a potentially suspicious item found in the area of Rockingham Court.
« Specialist officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit are on the scene and are currently working to assess the item and if necessary, remove it safely. »
Police said people had been evacuated as a « precautionary measure ». The force continued: « They (the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit) have deemed necessary that a precautionary 100m cordon is put in place whilst this work takes place and we hope to have this lifted as quickly as possible. Residents in the immediate area are being evacuated, again as a precautionary measure.
« We apologise for any inconvenience caused to people in the local area and we hope to have this incident safely resolved as soon as we can. Updates will be provided as and when we get them. »
Police said in an update: « All of the properties within the 100m cordon have been visited and safety advice has been provided. A rest centre for those who have been evacuated as a precautionary measure has been set up at the Hope Methodist Church in 29 High Street in Higham Ferrers, NN10 8DD. »
This morning, March 15, the force said the item was « confirmed to be a firework » and residents were given the green light to return to their homes. It stated: « Following a thorough examination by EOD specialists, the item was confirmed to be a firework and thankfully not a viable device. The item was safely removed and there is no ongoing risk to the public. Residents are now returning to their homes.
« We recognise that incidents like this can cause concern and disruption. We would like to thank local residents for their patience and cooperation while emergency services carried out their work. Our response reflects the seriousness with which we treat reports involving potentially suspicious items, and we hope this reassures our communities that public safety remains our highest priority. »
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