A man has been arrested after ‘claiming to have a bomb’ in Swindon town centre.
Police received reports from the suspect that he was carrying explosives in The Parade at around 9.30pm last night (Saturday, 3 August).
Officers responded to the scene, putting a 100-metre cordon in place and evacuating hundreds of people from nearby pubs and clubs.
A 41-year-old man from Southrop, Gloucestershire, was arrested on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat. He remains in custody.
A package was assessed and dealt with by specially trained military personnel from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.
A controlled explosion was carried out as a precaution, and the cordon was lifted around 2.30am.
In a statement, Chief Superintendent Phil Staynings said: “Thank you to the local community for your patience and assistance while this incident was resolved.
“Wiltshire Police recognise this was the same location where a protest was held earlier in the day but do not believe the two incidents to be connected.”
Photos seen by Wiltshire 999s show that Fleet Street, Commercial Road, Bridge Street, Regent Street and The Parade were all closed.
One person said: ‘It’s a bomb threat; my sister and niece went to walk through town to get the bus at top of town about 10pm and it was all closed off.
‘She asked what was going on and the police officer told her it’s a bomb threat, there was no buses going up through Commercial Road either as her bus didn’t turn up.”
Another local added: ‘Apparently there’s a man at the bottom of town saying he has a bomb.
‘From Tesco down to Power Lounge is [cordoned] off/locked down. All pubs have had to close.”
One penned: ‘I was caught up – marched out of town, all clubs and pubs at the bottom of town centre closed. I wasn’t even allowed to get my car.’
