Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Saturday, 23rd November 2024, at 07:45hrs|Updated at 10:05hrs
Four separate incidents across the country caused major disruption on Friday
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit had quite a busy Friday after being deployed to four security alerts across the UK.
A major security alert following the discovery of a suspicious package forced road closures and a large cordon placed around the US EMBASSY in Nine ELMS, London on Friday morning. The EOD attended, and a controlled explosion was carried out.
Then, one of the Uks busiest airports was forced to evacuate after a suspected prohibited item was found in luggage.
This forced the Gatwick Airport South Terminal to grind to a halt with passengers evacuated and flights cancelled. A large cordon was put in place on surrounding roads with traffic and travel disruption for several hours whilst emergency personnel attended to investigate the item.
Sussex Police later confirmed that the airport had been able to reopen with the cordon lifted. The force also confirmed that two people who were detained earlier were allowed to continue with their journey.
Elsewhere emergency services were deployed to a domestic property in Ilkley West Yorkshire following the discovery of an old hand grenade during a clear out. This forced residents nearby to be evacuated, and a cordon put in place whilst the EOD attended.
West Yorkshire Police said: “At 3:51pm today (22/11), police received a report of an old hand grenade having been found during a clear out of a property on Hillside Close, Addingham, Ilkley.
Emergency services have attended the scene and a cordon has been put in place. A number of properties have been evacuated as a precaution while Army bomb disposal experts are awaited at the scene.”
They later added: “Army bomb disposal experts confirmed an old hand grenade found during a clear out of a property in Addingham, Ilkley, yesterday was not live.
A cordon was put in place around the address in Hillside Close and nearby residents evacuated as a precaution after police were contacted at 3.51pm.
The cordon was lifted shortly before 6.30pm when the all-clear was given.
We thank residents for their patience and understanding while the incident was brought to a safe conclusion.”
Chester City Centre also saw panic and chaos during rush hour as a security alert forced road closures around Chester train station, and the bus interchange, trains, and buses were cancelled. This comes after reports of suspicious activity on board two buses with police later confirming that following investigations they were satisfied, nothing untoward had happened and the cordon was lifted.
Cheshire Police later added: “At 5.09pm today Friday 22nd November
2024 police received a report of suspicious
activity on two busses in Chester City
Centre one near the train station
and one near the bus interchange.
As a precaution a cordon was put in place
and a number of roads were closed while
they investigated the report. EOD
attended with other emergency
services to assist
All was in order and the cordon was
released and roads reopened the police
understand that this caused some
disruption and concern but we are now
happy there is nothing untoward
Thank you for your patience while
we dealt with this incident
G2K INCIDENT WATCH 