A popular shopping centre has been evacuated after a “suspicious package” was found, prompting police to ask members of the public to stay away. Emergency services were dispatched to the St Nicholas Arcades in Lancaster this morning after reports of a bomb scare.
The major shopping centre was quickly evacuated and a cordon was placed around the area as a “precaution.” The one-way area of the A6 around the shopping centre, from Cable Street to Great John Street has been closed off. The contents of the package remains unclear, as police continue to investigate the suspicious package.
A spokesperson for the police said: “We currently have a cordon in place in Lancaster Gate, Lancaster. This was following a report we received at 6.32am that a suspicious package had been found near to a property. Colleagues from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team are on their way and we ask people to avoid the area as a precaution.
“We will provide an update when we can.” The closed-off area has led to congestion and traffic delays, according to locals. It comes just months after a shopping centre in Hull was closed off following the discovery of a ‘suspicious package.’
The incident at St Stephens Shopping Centre sparked a major evacuation, including that of Hull station and nearby hotels. Following an investigation, the cordon was soon lifted and there was no threat to the public.
Senior Investigating Officer Superintendent Phil Booker said: “Whilst incidents of this nature remain rare in our area, I appreciate it will have understandably caused fear and alarm amongst the local community, and we would like to thank everyone for their patience whilst the incident was dealt with.
“I can confirm that whilst there is no credible threat, and the item has been disposed of, a cordon does remain in place within St Stephens Shopping Centre at this time for evidential purposes, and to allow emergency services to safely conclude their enquiries.
“The item discovered was a cause for concern at the time and had to be examined by specialists to ensure it was appropriately handled and dealt with, so not to cause any risk or threat to the public.
“I want to thank all our residents and those in the local area for their patience, assistance and understanding, as we have to take all reports of this nature seriously and all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our communities.”
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