Bomb alert continues (From This Is Lancashire)

Bomb alert continues

9:10am Wednesday 2nd December 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

TWO men have been arrested following a series of bomb alerts which caused havoc in the Hindsford area.

Local men aged 46 and 51 were still being held in custody on Wednesday morning following the discovery of seven suspicious devices.

The search had continued throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday morning and as The Journal went to press a Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "There could possibly be more finds."

Three were found on Sunday and were made safe by bomb disposal experts and a fourth package was spotted shortly before 9.55am on Monday near the junction of West Bank Street and Tyldesley Road. Bomb disposal experts made the devices safe.

A second man was arrested and two addresses, one on Chester Street and another on James Street, both Hindsford, were searched on Tuesday morning.

Three further suspicious devices were found and the Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal squad was called out.

Wigan divisional commander Chief Superintendent Shaun Donnellan said: “I understand these incidents caused massive disruptions to the local community but our first concern had to be for their safety."

The alarm was raised on Sunday when a concerned passer-by alerted police who called in bomb disposal experts to make the area safe.

Roads were again cordoned off causing traffic chaos with the only through route – the A577 – between Atherton and Tyldesley closed by police and diversions via Leigh and Astley put in place.

Dozens of children at Hindsford Community Link nursery in Lodge Lane had to be kept inside during the operation.

Manager Teresa Hughes said: “A few parents were understandably concerned and came to collect their children early.”

Fred Longworth High School, in Printshop Lane, was also affected.

Head teacher Janet Garretts said: “Our year 11 pupils would normally be allowed to leave the school at lunch, but we kept them in.”

All 1,300 pupils were allowed home on time at the end of the school day.

The alert came after three packages were found on Sunday.

The drama began to unfold at around 9.45am when police were called to the Lidl supermarket on Tyldesley Road.

Officers discovered a six-inch suspicious package behind the store.

A few hours later, at 2.50pm, they were again called to West Bank Street where a number of homes were evacuated after another was found on a fence and made safe.

Then at around 9pm police were made aware of a third suspect package that had been spotted on the Focus DIY store car park.

Supt John McNeil, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “We have already acted swiftly to make an arrest.

“While I understand the concerns of the community, I want to reassure them that their safety was my main concern.”

Insp Liz Sanderson, of the Atherton neighbourhood policing team, said: “A lot of people were affected but I must commend the way everyone worked together to make the devices safe and get everything back to normal as soon as possible.

“We will now be looking closely at these devices.”

A police spokesman said it was too early to say what they were. Anyone with information should call the Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0161 856 7319 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.