Residents flee homes after bomb scare
Man arrested after ‘suspicious items’ found in property
RESIDENTS have spoken of their shock after they were evacuated from their homes following a bomb scare.
A major police and emergency response was prompted after ‘suspicious items’ were discovered at a property on Wilmslow Road between Withington and Fallowfield.
Police have since arrested a 52-year-old man on suspicion of manufacturing an explosive device, who remains in custody for questioning.
Homes near the Shell petrol station on Wilmslow Road were evacuated at around 10pm on New Year’s Day as a bomb disposal unit raced to the scene.
The items were later deemed to be ‘safe’ and police say they are not treating the incident as terror-related.
Officers were still at the scene on yesterday morning but a large cordon which had been in place for around five hours had been lifted.
Locals spoke of their shock and confusion, after the start of their new year was interrupted by a major police operation.
One resident, who lives on Brook Road told the M.E.N: “There was a load of police around, we didn’t know what was going on.
“A flat was evacuated I think but I don’t know which one, I’m not really sure what happened.”
A female resident at
The Rams Lodge, a building located on Milford Road, said she had been evacuated following the arrival of the police.
Another said yesterday: “We were all evacuated to another hotel this morning at about half three, we didn’t get back until about half an hour ago.
“We’re all homeless so where were we supposed to go?
“I think they found a bomb or a suspicious package was found or something.”
It’s understood that residents of the hotel have now started returning to the property.
Staff at The Rams Lodge declined to comment.
The Ziggy Sixx Social Club, which backs onto the hotel, saw the return of some of the residents yesterday.
Emergency services were called to a property between
Derby Road and Brook Road at 8.30pm on New Year’s Day, including police, paramedics and the fire service.
At around 11.30pm, a police cordon was put up between the Shell petrol station and nearby Victoria Road.
The cordon was later extended – covering the area between the petrol station and Derby Road.
In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: “Bomb disposal officers attended and the items were deemed safe.
“Officers are treating this as an isolated incident with no wider threat to the community.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 6063 quoting incident number 3510 of 01/01/21 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.